Attorney Profiles

Meet the attorneys of Smith, Cohen & Horan, PLC, Fort Smith Arkansas.  Since 1930, the lawyers of SCH have provided businesses and individuals professional representation and legal services that focus on finding solutions for clients that range from the ordinary to the highly complex and sophisticated. 

SCH attorneys are recognized for their skills in the areas of practice which includes:

Find out more about the lawyers of SCH by reviewing their personal bios—

Don A. Smith, Member

Phone: 479.782.1001
Fax: 479.782.1279
Email: Don A. Smith 

Areas of practice

• Motor carrier law
• Product liability defense
• Civil litigation
• Environmental law
• Employment law
• Commercial litigation

Admitted to practice

• Oklahoma,1960
• Arkansas,1962
• 1960-Present:
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Oklahoma
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Mississippi
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Circuits
  • U.S. Supreme Court

Education

• University of Oklahoma, LL.B., 1960
• University of Oklahoma, B.B.A., 1958
  • Phi Alpha Delta

Clerkship and special assignment

• Federal Law Clerk, Eastern District of Oklahoma, 1960–1961
• Special Justice, Supreme Court of Arkansas

Professional memberships

• Arkansas Bar Association
• Oklahoma Bar Association
• Sebastian County Bar Association (President, 1970–1971)
• Transportation Lawyers Association (Member, Executive Committee, 1980–1982)
• Motor Carrier Lawyers Foundation (President 1980–1982)
• Trucking Industry Defense Association (TIDA) (Member)

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Robert Y. Cohen, II, Member

Phone: 479.782.1001
Fax: 479.782.1279
E-mail: Robert Y. Cohen

Areas of practice

• Tax law
• Probate law
• Corporate law
• Commercial law
• Business transfers

Admitted to practice

• Arkansas, 1975
• U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas, 1977
•  U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit, 1980
•  U.S. Tax Court, 1981

Education

• Southern Methodist School of Law, LL.M., 1976
• University of Arkansas School of Law, J.D., 1975
• Hendrix College, B.A., 1972

Professional memberships

• Sebastian County Bar Association
• Arkansas Bar Association
  • Professional Ethics and Grievances Committee, 1996–1997
• Arkansas Supreme Court Tax Specialty Committee, 1989–1999

Civic interests

• University of Arkansas Fort Smith Foundation Board of Directions, 2003-2010
• Fort Smith South Side Rotary Club USA, President,1985–1996
• Fort Smith Arkansas Area Community Foundation Board of Directors, 2005-2008
• City of Fort Smith Financial Tax Force, 1986
• Fort Smith Chorale Association, President 1986–1987
• Hendrix College Alumni Association, President, 1989–1991
• Fort Smith Girls Club, Board of Directors, 1987–1989
• Fort Smith Regional Playground for All Children, Inc., Board of Directors, 1989–1995
• Western Arkansas Ballet, Board of Directors, 1996
• Fort Smith Heritage Foundation, Board of Directors, 1998
• Cancer Support Foundation, President, 2000

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Matthew Horan, Member

Phone: 479.782.1001
Fax: 479.782.1279
Email: Matthew Horan

Areas of practice

• Civil litigation
• Agricultural law
• Appellate practice
• Employment law

Admitted to practice

• Arkansas, 1976
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth, Eighth, Seventh and Tenth Circuits, 1979
• 1980–present
  • U.S. Court of Appeals
  • Fifth and Tenth Circuits and U.S. District Court
  • Eastern District of Oklahoma
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Arkansas

Education

• Harvard University, J.D., 1976
• University of Arkansas, B.A., 1973
  • Phi Beta Kappa

Clerkships, instructor, and special assignments

• Instructor of Law, University of Arkansas School of Law, 1977–1978
• Visiting Instructor of Law, Trial Advocacy Program, Harvard University, 1979 and 1980
• Law Clerk to Hon. H. Franklin Waters, Chief Judge, U.S. District Court, Western District of Arkansas, 1986–1987
• Special Justice Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1999

Professional memberships

• Sebastian County Bar Association
• Arkansas Bar Association
  • Co-Chairman, Jury Instructions Committee, Business Law Section
• Arkansas Bar Foundation, Fellow
• State Board of Law Examiners, Member, 1995-2001
• Editorial Advisory Board, Arkansas Lawyer Magazine, Member 1994–1996
• President, Fort Smith Heritage Foundation, 1997

Publications and citations

• Contributing Editor, "Handling Appeals in Arkansas," Arkansas Lawyer, 1997
• Author: "Shaw v. Reno: Will it Turn Out Like Koresh v. Reno?" Arkansas Lawyer, 1994
• Recipient, Writing Excellence Award, Arkansas Bar Foundation, 1994
• Co-editor, "Proposed Arkansas Model Contract Jury Instructions," 20 U.A.L.R. Law Journal 1 (1997)

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Stephen C. Smith, Member

Phone: 479.782.1001
Fax: 479.782.1279
Email: Stephen C. Smith

Areas of practice

• Civil litigation
• Collection law
• Environmental law
• Land use planning and control law
• General practice

Admitted to practice

• Arkansas, 2003
• U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit

Education

• Vermont Law School, J.D. /M.S.E.L., 2002
• Villanova University, B.S., 1999

Externship

• Federal Judicial Externship for the Honorable Robert T. Dawson, United States District Court Judge for the Western District of Arkansas, Fort Smith Division

Professional memberships

• Arkansas Bar Association
• House of Delegates member, 2003-present
• American Bar Association
• Association of Trial Lawyers of America
• Sebastian County Bar Association

Civic interests/business experience

• Western Arkansas Ballet, Board of Directors, 2003-present
• Western Arkansas Tennis Association, Board of Directors, 2004 – present
• Former Assistant Director of Environmental Quality in charge of the Environmental Management System for Ecology Management, Inc.

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Eric L. Pendergrass, Member

Phone: 479.782.1001
Fax: 479.782.1279
Email: Eric L. Pendergrass

Areas of practice

• Civil litigation
• Agricultural law
• General practice
• Banking law
• Creditor's rights
• Environmental law
• Business transfers
• Corporate law
• Oil, gas & natural resource law

Admitted to practice

• Arkansas, 2006
• U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas, 2006
• Oklahoma, 2007

Education

• University of Arkansas School of Law, J.D. cum laude, 2006
• University of Arkansas School of Law, LL.M. in Agricultural Law
  • Recipient of the 2006 Bard Rogan Natural Resources Law Award for outstanding study in the area of oil & gas and related fields
• University of Arkansas, B.S.A., 2003

Professional memberships / Civic interest

• Arkansas Bar Association
• Oklahoma Bar Association
• Sebastian County Bar Association
• Leadership Fort Smith 2009
• Young Emerging Leaders of Fort Smith
• Bost Foundation - Trustee
• Fort Smith Parks Commission
• Parks Partners of Fort Smith - Trustee

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Serving businesses and individuals throughout Arkansas and Oklahoma

Smith, Cohen & Horan, PLC provides litigation, business, and private client services to clients in Arkansas and Oklahoma. Contact us today at 479.782.1001 or online to speak to one of our attorneys on matters in the following counties: