Managing Partner, AlvaradoSmith

Ruben Smith is a managing partner in the law firm of AlvaradoSmith in Santa Ana. Smith began practicing law with Morrison & Foerster in 1984 soon after completing his legal education at Yale University. Smith was also a partner in the law firm McKittrick, Jackson, DeMarco & Peckpaugh.

Smith handles a wide range of commercial, financial and real estate transactional matters in both the United States and Mexico. In addition, Smith has extensive experience representing public and private entities in an array of real estate, land use, environmental, redevelopment, affordable housing, transportation and regulatory matters.

Previously, he served as a staff assistant in the White House Office of Hispanic Affairs under President Jimmy Carter, and was appointed by the mayors of Tijuana and Ensenada, Mexico, to be the Honorary Ambassador to those cities.

Smith currently serves on the board of the California Housing Finance Agency, City National Bank Latino Advisory Board and the Orange County Business Council. He is a past President of the Hispanic Bar Association of Orange County, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Orange County and the Orange County Fair Board. Smith also served on the board of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute and the Tiger Woods Learning Center.