Executive Director's Page • July/August 2026

Thriving Through Community

State Bar of Texas President G. David Smith on working hard—and chasing your dreams.

Interview by Patricia Busa McConnico
Photo by Mikayla R. Malcom, Rockwall, Texas

State Bar of Texas President G. David Smith has spent most of his life in small towns in Texas, where everyone knows you—and that can be good and bad. “Good when someone needs help,” Smith said. “Bad when the police know your parents and let them know when they have caught you in, um, mischief.” Smith, who was born in Slaton, about 15 miles southeast of Lubbock, came from a financially poor family but one steeped in encouragement and a strong work ethic. His father, who was disabled with emphysema and severe arthritis, taught him basic auto mechanics and carpentry skills, which he continues to use to this day. His mother went back to college in Canyon—where the family moved when Smith was 8 years old—to get her teaching degree so she could support the family. “She never worried about herself; she always worried and took care of others—not just us, but those in her life,” Smith said. “I truly think she invented the whole concept of ‘giving back.’”

The family eventually moved to Muleshoe, a town with a population of about 5,000 roughly 30 miles southeast of Clovis, New Mexico. When Smith was 12 years old, he started mowing lawns, earning enough to purchase a riding mower for big projects. He and his father built a ramp to load it into the truck he used for hauling equipment. The old equipment would often break down, so to save money, Smith made his own repairs. He started a second business repairing other people’s lawn mowers. “Truly, necessity was the mother of invention,” Smith said. “I learned so much through that process.”

The Muleshoe community was strong and supportive—Smith said he and his older brother, Chuck, were always encouraged to chase their dreams. “This foundation is what instilled in me the concept that there are no limits—you can achieve whatever goals you set if you work hard,” he said. “Barriers dissolve if you keep focused and avoid the naysayers and those who fear success. I learned to be the best at whatever you undertake: mowing lawns, installing antenna systems, delivering furniture—whatever the undertaking.” Smith said his dreams of winning in state competitions for speech events, being best actor, playing first chair trumpet, and leading organizations in high school were realized not because he was wealthy or privileged but because of the work ethic and drive instilled in him by his family and teachers.

Smith attended Odessa College on a speech and debate scholarship and earned national recognition in forensics and debate. The college’s speech coach, Don Nichols, became a mentor and second father to him, pushing him to be his very best. Smith eventually transferred to the University of Texas Permian Basin, where he graduated. In Odessa, Smith worked construction but would see Nichols, who had started doing consultant work for lawyers in the area, at a local bar where Nichols and attorneys would meet. “I would go there sweaty and worn out to get one of the coldest beers in town,” Smith said. “Those lawyers would be in there in suits, buying beers for their friends using hundred-dollar bills to pay their tabs. Like most trial lawyers, they never tired of telling their trial stories and exploits. That’s when I thought the law might just be for me.”

Below From Left: G. David Smith (far right) with his older brother, Chuck; mother, Wilma; and father, Charlie; in Slaton circa 1964. Smith (center) with his wife, Diane, and son Jeremy in Austin in 2016. Photos courtesy of G. David Smith.

He went on to graduate from Texas Tech University School of Law and started his legal career at Brannan and Pipes in Odessa. In 1984, he opened a solo practice and learned from the supportive legal community in Midland and Odessa. In 1989, Smith moved to Rockwall and became certified in personal injury trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He and his wife, Diane, have a blended family of four kids, two daughters-in-law, and four grandchildren. Smith has remained active in every community he has lived in, joining local bar associations and other organizations that provided resources and networking. “Bar section membership furthered my understanding of what we do as lawyers,” he said. “I utilized those organizations to better hone my trial craft.”

On June 12, Smith was sworn in as president of the State Bar of Texas at the bar’s Annual Meeting in Houston. Smith recently spoke to the Texas Bar Journal about his practice, the most rewarding aspect of being a lawyer, and his vision as president of the State Bar.

WHAT LESSON OR EXPERIENCE HAS MOST IMPACTED THE WAY YOU PRACTICE?
Representing those who could not afford an attorney, especially in criminal matters. It makes a real difference to help someone in desperate need maneuver through the legal system. It makes you more aware of the real-life consequences people face. That, in turn, makes you more conscious that each client you have is reliant on you to guide them through a process that can be totally terrifying to them.

YOU OPENED YOUR OWN SOLO PRACTICE IN 1984. WHAT ARE YOUR KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EXPERIENCE? HOW WILL THEY HELP YOU AS STATE BAR PRESIDENT?
While a solo practice teaches you self-reliance, it also is a constant reminder of what you do not know and what you
need to learn. If you are going to thrive and survive, you have no choice but to stop and figure out that which you do not know. That teaches you not only how to dig in and work for the right answer, but it also gives you the opportunity to rely on relationships and professional organizations to help you in your learning process. That experience has enabled me to recognize what I can do as a bar leader to help others learn and achieve to the best of their ability through the bar programs, services, and support. We are at our best when connected by purpose.

YOU CAMPAIGNED ON YOUR VISION FOR THE BAR. TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR VISION AND WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU.
What I learned as I campaigned helped focus my vision and see what is important for us as a profession. I learned during my travels that many lawyers are not aware of all the benefits the bar provides. I want to make sure we do all we can to get the word out about all the bar offers. I want to bring the bar home to our clients, the lawyers in Texas, and the law students who are our future and legacy. While doing so, I am going to stress a focus on professionalism, civility, and doing right by others. We need to get back to what matters.

Above: G. David Smith (front center) with his family (back row from left) Dallas Graves, Dayna Lee, Isla Lee, Jason Lee, Chuck Smith, Ryan Lee, Desi Lee, (front row from left) Diane Smith, Christina Lee, Eli Lee, and Alexandra (Alex) Lee in Athens in 2024. Photo courtesy of G. David Smith.

WHAT HAVE YOU FOUND MOST CHALLENGING ABOUT BEING A LAWYER? MOST REWARDING?
Walking the line between devotion to family and devotion to work. We have all experienced the desire to go 24/7 in trial preparation or meeting goals and deadlines. I am guilty of letting this consume me at the expense of my family. It is a constant struggle each one of us handles differently. I have learned to put things in proper perspective. Balancing is the key, but I always try to tip that balance in favor of those most important, my family. The patient guidance of my wife, Diane, has been the linchpin of this focus.

The most rewarding aspect of being a lawyer is the satisfaction of a client being well served. That does not always mean winning. It means walking the client through difficult times, teaching them the reality of the legal landscape, and then have them end the journey with an understanding of what happened and why. I have also been privileged to have my stepson, Ryan Lee, as my partner. That has been a reward beyond measure.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE LEGAL PROFESSION WILL LOOK LIKE 50 YEARS FROM NOW?
The way that AI has changed the profession in such a short time and how it keeps changing day to day makes any such prediction difficult. The fact that technology will streamline the ability of lawyers to meet the needs of their clients is both fascinating and frightening at the same time. I have trust in our legal leadership in the bar and the courts to oversee the practice of law in this ever-changing legal landscape so that the profession is served, not ruled, by technological advancements. I have trust in the ability of our profession to be good, to act with civility, and to always be striving to protect our fellow humans. What I do see in our future is an honorable profession serving society. I believe nothing will ever replace the need to rely upon human judgment for intuitive strategies, innovative guidance, and creative resolution of conflicts.