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Tanya Tyer Smitherman

Overview

Tanya Tyer Smitherman is an experienced litigator with over thirty years of extensive expertise in complex litigation involving products liability, mass torts, catastrophic injuries, medical professional liability, and other personal injury litigation.  Tanya serves as national coordinating counsel managing the defense of toxic tort product litigation for a global manufacturer of industrial and consumer chemical products defending lawsuits in state and federal courts nationwide. Tanya has served as lead counsel and first chair trial counsel for a large hospital system in Dallas, and has successfully represented hospitals, physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals in cases throughout Texas. She is also experienced in the areas of insurance coverage disputes and litigation involving first-party contracts and extra contractual insurance claims. Tanya has successfully tried cases in state and federal courts and on appeal.

Tanya's primary aim is the protection of her clients' interests, focusing litigation strategy on each client's immediate and long term objectives. Throughout her career, Tanya has proactively guided her clients in litigation management, national strategy development, employee education, and risk mitigation.

Tanya was born in Lubbock, Texas. She enjoys volunteering for multiple community charities, reading, traveling, and spending time with her family. Tanya is also an avid fan of her favorite college and professional sports teams.

Professional and Community Activities

  • Member, Dallas Bar Association
  • Member, Texas Association of Defense Counsel
  • Texas Minority Counsel Program - Networking Through Service
  • Volunteer: Metrocrest Services, The Storehouse of Collin County, Texas Ramps, Meals on Wheels, Feed My Starving Children, Brother Bill's Helping Hand

Professional Recognition

  • Named AV-Preeminent lawyer by Martindale-Hubbell for over 20 consecutive years. AV-Preeminent rating is given to attorneys after a thorough peer review process, and according to Martindale-Hubbell, it is the "highest possible peer review rating in legal ability and ethical standards."
  • Honored with inclusion into the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers and named as a Top Rated Lawyer among Texas Women Leaders for Ethical Standards and Legal Ability. 

Publications and Presentations

  • Speaker, HarrisMartin's National Benzene Litigation Conference:  Ethical Issues in Solvent Litigation (Philadelphia, November 2018)
  • Speaker, HarrisMartin's National Benzene Litigation Conference: Honored in the Breach: The Ethical Lawyer in a World of Hacking (Philadelphia, November 2019)
  • Speaker, HarrisMartin's National Benzene Litigation Conference: Low Dose Causation and Recent Scientific Literature (Charleston, December 2024)

 

Education/Admissions
  • Texas Tech University School of Law, J.D., 1989
  • Texas Tech University, B.S. in Communications 1986, magna cum laude

 

Experience
  • Texas, 1989
  • United States District Court, Northern and Western Districts of Texas
  • United States District Court for the District of Colorado

 

Resources