Adam Smith

Workers compensation attorney Adam A. Smith practices in the Goldsboro and Raleigh law offices of Riddle & Riddle. Adam is a Board Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation Law, which distinguishes him as having attained a level of excellence in his practice. He dedicates his practice to representing victims of serious personal injuries.

“I tell my clients, let me focus on the insurance adjuster and the jury, so you can focus on getting healthy” Adam says.

“A personal injury claim can stress you out and consume you. That is not a good use of your time and energy. Let me handle the legal things, so you can focus on yourself and your family.”

Education and Professional Experience

Originally from Boston, Adam relocated to North Carolina in 1996 when he received the Garda scholarship to attend Duke University. At Duke’s Trinity College, he was part of the Pi Sigma Alpha honor society. He graduated cum laude in 2000 with a major in political science and minor in religion. He then received the W.B. McGuire scholarship to attend the Duke University School of Law. While there, he served on the editorial board of the Journal of Gender Law & Policy and received his Juris Doctor in 2003. Adam joined the personal injury and workers comp lawyers at Riddle & Riddle.

Adam dedicates his career to helping ordinary people achieve the justice they deserve through workers compensation claims after a work injury or other accident. He had the honor of sharing in the Public Counsel 2003 National Volunteer of the Year Award after successfully representing a group of Spanish-speaking claimants who were the victims of fraud. Since becoming admitted to practice law in North Carolina in 2003, he has successfully tried cases before juries in Superior and District Courts and represented clients in arbitration. Additionally, he has experience litigating state tort claims before the North Carolina Industrial Commission.

Adam also handles appellate matters, including his successful appeal in Jarvis v. Stewart. This case received recognition from N.C. Lawyers’ Weekly, which called it one of the 50 “Most Important Opinions” of 2005. In addition, a large portion of Adam’s practice involves representing worker compensation claimants. As a result, in 2011 he achieved recognition as a North Carolina Board Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation Law.

Adam is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Middle Districts of North Carolina and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit.

Memberships and Accolades

Adam is an active member of the North Carolina Advocates of Justice, and served as Vice-Chair of the Products Liability Section in the past. He has been a speaker at numerous Continuing Legal Education events. His past presentations include “Admissibility of Evidence in Personal Injury Trials,” “Battery Ingestion Injuries,” and “Bulletproofing Your Expert from Daubert Attacks”. Trialbriefs magazine has also published his work. His writing credits include “Products Liability Claims, In Camouflage” and “Evidence, Getting It In or Keeping It Out”.

Adam holds a prestigious AV Preeminent peer-review rating by Martindale-Hubbell, their highest level of recognition. The basis of this ranking is peer reviews from other attorneys who recognize colleagues for excellence in a given field.

Adam has also been honored to recognized as a “Rising Star” and/or a “Super Lawyer” for 8 years in a row.

Family and Free Time

In his spare time, Adam enjoys playing soccer competitively on the firm-sponsored team, the Riddle & Riddle Angry Pandas. Being a Duke alum, he is of course a college basketball enthusiast, but he now has divided loyalties, as he has children attended N.C. State and App. State Universities.