Todd Smith

Todd Smith dedicates his practice to serving as mediator in litigated and non-litigated matters with an emphasis on employment disputes including claims of discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful termination, whistleblower and retaliation, as well as wage and hour class actions and PAGA actions.

Smith began practicing law as an associate in the employment law department of Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker. Later he formed the legal partnership of Helmer • Smith, which represented individual and business clients in various civil rights, intellectual property, personal injury and business matters with a particular focus on litigating employment disputes. He has experience litigating in both state and federal court, and has resolved scores of cases via trial, arbitration and mediation, including a $1.9 million judgment in an age discrimination suit upheld by the California Supreme Court.

Smith is a proud distinguished fellow of the International Academy of Mediators. He has received mediation training on both coasts — including Pepperdine’s Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution on the West and Linda Singer and Michael Lewis on the East. He served as co-chair of both the San Fernando Valley Bar Association ADR Section and Beverly Hills Bar Association Labor and Employment Law Section.

In addition to his mediation practice, Smith has spent more than a decade teaching employment law in the Los Angeles area as an adjunct professor. Smith has taught at both UCLA Law School and Southwestern Law School where in 2010, he proudly received the Excellence in Teaching Award from the Student Bar Association. He is a passionate supporter of mediation as a dispute resolution technique and frequently serves as a guest speaker regarding employment mediation at various law school, bar association and other trade organization events. 

FACULTY IN THE NEWS

The Washington Post
March 20, 2019
Re: Ariela Gross

Ariela Gross was quoted on the appointment of Carol Folt as USC's new president. “It’s a great choice,” she said. “I think at Chapel Hill, Carol Folt showed herself to be a person of great integrity, someone with moral leadership, someone who wasn’t afraid to get out in front of issues — and also a really caring leader and teacher who worked with students and with faculty in an educational community.”

RECENT SCHOLARSHIP

Emily Ryo
January, 2019

Emily Ryo was a discussant for "Harsh Realities: Treatment of Detained Asylum Seekers in the U.S." which was part of Diversity and Inclusion Week at USC Gould School of Law.

Thomas D. Lyon
January, 2019

"Younger and Older Adults’ Lie-detection and Credibility Judgments of Children’s Coached Reports" (with Alison M. O’Connor & Angela D. Evans)  Psychology, Crime, & Law.

Gregory Keating
January, 2019

"Recognizing Wrongs: Philosophy of Tort Law," Jurisprudence Panel 2, AALS 2019 Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA.