Mr. Smith is of counsel in the Vorys Columbus office and a member of the corporate and finance practice group.  He represents corporations, trade associations, non-profit groups, political action committees, political campaigns and others in the area of federal, state and local election law, with particular emphasis on campaign finance.

Career highlights include:

• Serving on the Federal Election Commission from 2000 to 2005 and serving as its Chairman in 2004
• Serving on the American Bar Association’s Advisory Committee to the Standing Committee on Election Law from 2001 to 2005
• Being a noted author and speaker on campaign finance and election law, and frequent congressional witness on campaign finance, election law, and government ethics
• Serving as a Professor of Law at the Capital University Law School from 1993-2000 and 2005-present

Mr. Smith is a member of the American Bar Association, the Ohio State Bar Association, the Columbus Bar Association, and the Republican National Lawyers Association. 

Mr. Smith is a frequent speaker on campaign finance, political action committees, corporate, non-profit, and trade association political activities, regulation of campaigns, politics and the Internet.  He has also given multiple presentations on compliance with federal and state laws governing political activities and regulatory trends.

Mr. Smith received his J.D. cum laude from Harvard Law School and his B.A. cum laude from Kalamazoo College.

Mr. Smith has authored over 20 law review articles and 100 articles in trade publications, newspapers, and magazines on campaign finance and election law.

Publications

• “Unfree Speech: The Folly of Campaign Finance Reform,” Princeton University Press, 2001

Professional and Community Activities

• Advisory Committee on the Constitution and the Courts, 2008
• Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions, Board of Trustees, 1997-2000; 2006-present
• Center for Competitive Politics, Chairman, 2005-present
• American Bar Association, Advisory Committee to the Standing Committee on Election Law, 2001-2005

News

• Bradley Smith quoted in CQ Weekly article "Low Budget Antidote to High Cost Television Campaigns"