Tami S. Smason

Tami S. Smason is a partner and trial lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP, where she focuses on business and administrative litigation and arbitration, including contract, lease and partnership disputes, unfair competition, fraud, regulatory violations, consumer class actions, and appeals. Ms. Smason is an experienced trial lawyer, having tried both jury and non-jury cases. She is experienced in all phases of litigation, including management of complex multi-party cases and has extensive experience with legal issues affecting the health care industry.

Representative Experience

GENERAL BUSINESS LITIGATION

• Obtained defense judgment after trial in case brought by a class of limited partners against general partner alleging mismanagement and breach of fiduciary duty 
• Obtained California Supreme Court decision invalidating application of Lemon Law to vehicles purchased outside the state 
• Obtained preliminary injunction that resulted in forced sale of 50% partnership interest to other partner

HEALTH CARE LITIGATION 

• Obtained a writ of mandate against the California Department of Health Services challenging actuarial soundness of certain Medi-Cal rates 
• Obtained dismissal of purported class action claiming homeopathic product was falsely advertised 
• Successfully defended arbitration claim seeking $24 million based on pharmaceutical benefits contract 
• Defended and settled class action brought against insurer and health plan by members who sought coverage for autism treatment 
• Defended and settled class action brought against insurer and health plan for violation of Mental Health Parity Act

Recognition

In recognition of her achievements, Ms. Smason has been Peer Review Rated as AV® Preeminent™, the highest performance rating in Martindale-Hubbell's peer review rating system. She was selected for inclusion in the 2004 and 2006-2012 Southern California Super Lawyers® lists. In 2012, she was recognized by The Legal 500.

Selected Publications

Ms. Smason is the co-author of Chapter 8, "Inspection Demands" in the 2006 edition of the treatise California Civil Discovery Practice published by CEB.

Firm Leadership

Ms. Smason is the Los Angeles office chair of the firm’s Litigation Department. She also serves as the professional responsibility partner for the Los Angeles office.

Education

Ms. Smason is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley (J.D., Boalt Hall School of Law, 1985; B.S., business administration, with honors, 1981).

Admissions and Professional Memberships

She was admitted to the California Bar in 1985 and also is admitted to practice before the United States District Court, Central, Southern, Northern and Eastern Districts of California, the United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit and the United States Supreme Court.

Ms. Smason is a member of the American Bar Association and the Litigation Sections of the State Bar of California and the Los Angeles County Bar Association. She is also a board member of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers.

Community Engagement

Ms. Smason has volunteered her legal services to the Domestic Violence Project for Los Angeles County Bar Association. In addition, she provides pro-bono legal services to The Breast Cancer Fund and the Alliance for Children’s Rights and volunteers for The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. Ms. Smason has also served as a judge pro tem for the Superior Court of California, Los Angeles and a mediator for the Los Angeles Superior Court.