Brian C. Smith

Brian C. Smith is an attorney at Watkins & Eager who leads the firm’s intellectual property practice group. He works on intellectual property, transactions and licensing, business and commercial litigation, and disputes involving banks and financial institutions. He has experience with securities and insurance litigation and with compliance related to disaster recovery grants. His background includes accounting credentials and a federal appellate judicial clerkship.

Smith earned a J.D. from the University of Mississippi School of Law. He received a bachelor’s degree in English and a Bachelor of Accountancy from the University of Mississippi. His academic achievements included membership in the Mississippi Law Journal, the McDonnell-Barksdale Honors College, and recognition as a Taylor Medalist. His studies in accounting, communication, and law support his work with commercial documents and complex disputes.

Smith has handled cases involving banking institutions, consumer financial services, securities issues, and insurance disputes. Reported matters listed in his profile include U.S. Bancorp v. McMullan and Trustmark National Bank v. Meador. Before joining the firm, he clerked for Judge Rhesa H. Barksdale on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He is identified as a Certified Public Accountant with inactive status.

Brian C. Smith has been recognized in Best Lawyers for commercial litigation and private funds and hedge funds law. He is a member of the Mississippi Bar and the Bar Association of the Fifth Federal Circuit. He has written about trademark basics and published legal scholarship on corporate merger issues. His practice connects intellectual property and commercial transactions with financial disputes and litigation.

Law Office Affiliations

• Attorney, Watkins & Eager
• Member, The Mississippi Bar
• Member, Bar Association of the Fifth Federal Circuit
• Member, Capital Area Bar Association
• Member, Madison Methodist Church

Licensed State

• Mississippi

Education

• University of Mississippi School of Law
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• University of Mississippi
  Bachelor’s of Accountancy
• University of Mississippi
  Bachelor’s Degree: English

Awards & Badges