Shap Smith

Shap Smith is the Managing Partner at Dinse and a litigator whose practice includes Litigation, Insurance Coverage, and Intellectual Property. He has more than 30 years of experience handling complex environmental, construction defect, intellectual property, and commercial disputes. He represents businesses and professionals in trial and appellate matters, coverage disputes, trademark issues, and other conflicts that require strategic judgment. His practice combines courtroom advocacy with a practical focus on resolving complicated problems efficiently and protecting important business interests.

Shap earned a J.D., cum laude, from Indiana University School of Law in 1991 and a B.A. from the University of Vermont in 1987, where he was a Vermont Merit Scholar. His education supports a practice that spans commercial litigation, intellectual property, insurance, and public-policy-related matters. Legal training in analysis and advocacy, combined with substantial leadership experience, helps him distill difficult issues, communicate clearly with clients, and develop strategies for disputes involving technical facts, significant financial exposure, or complicated regulatory concerns.

Shap represents clients in construction defect claims, professional liability matters, intellectual property disputes, and insurance coverage cases involving environmental liabilities, business losses, harassment claims, and uninsured motorist issues. His experience includes trial courts, the Vermont Supreme Court, and federal courts including the Second Circuit. He has obtained favorable rulings in high-value construction and insurance disputes and advises businesses on trademarks, copyrights, domain names, web agreements, privacy concerns, and infringement. He previously served fourteen years in the Vermont House of Representatives.

Shap Smith served as Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives from 2009 through 2016 and has held leadership roles with national legislative organizations and Vermont nonprofit boards. He has been recognized by Best Lawyers for intellectual property and products liability litigation and was named a 2022 Lawyer of the Year for intellectual property litigation. His combination of litigation, leadership, and policy experience helps clients manage complex disputes, negotiate difficult issues, and pursue solutions that account for legal, commercial, and institutional priorities.

Law Office Affiliations

• Attorney, Dinse, P.C.
• Member, Vermont Bar Association
• Member, New York State Bar Association
• Member, American Bar Association
• Member, Chittenden County Bar Association
• President, National Speakers Conference (2015-2016)
• Member, Board of Trustees, University of Vermont
• Member, Board of Trustees, Spectrum Youth Services
• Member, Board of Directors, The Alchemist Foundation
• Executive Committee, National Conference of State Legislatures (2014-2016)
• Member, Defense Research Institute

Licensed State

• Vermont
• New York

Education

• Indiana University School of Law
  Juris Doctor (JD) (Cum Laude)
• University of Vermont
  Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Awards & Badges