Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that S. David Smith and Melissa Gutierrez have joined the firm’s Banking and Financial Services Team in its Houston office.

“We are excited to welcome David and Melissa to the firm as part of our plan of continued strategic growth in Texas,” said Bradley’s Houston Office Managing Partner Ian P. Faria. “They are a great addition to our experienced team of attorneys assisting lenders, servicers and other financial institutions in litigation, enforcement and regulatory compliance matters across the country.”

Mr. Smith joins the firm as a partner who specializes in representing financial institutions engaged in the mortgage, auto finance, credit card, and payday lending areas. Mr. Smith is board certified in Consumer and Commercial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and he currently serves as chair of the Board of Trustees of the Texas Center for Legal Ethics. Mr. Smith earned his J.D. from the Dedman School of Law at Southern Methodist University and his Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University.

Ms. Gutierrez is an associate focusing on commercial litigation matters, with an emphasis on financial services, consumer finance and real property litigation. She earned her J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center and her Bachelor of Business Administration from Texas A&M University. While in law school, Ms. Gutierrez was senior articles editor of the Houston Journal of International Law and a member of Moot Court.

About Bradley

Bradley combines skilled legal counsel with exceptional client service and unwavering integrity to assist a diverse range of corporate and individual clients in achieving their business goals. With offices in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and the District of Columbia, the firm’s over 500 lawyers represent regional, national and international clients in various industries, including financial services, healthcare, life sciences, real estate, construction, technology, energy, insurance, and entertainment, among many others.