Skip to Main Content.

Industries

Practices

Languages

  • English
  • Spanish

Biography

Ruben A. Smith is Partner-in-Charge of Frost Brown Todd’s Orange County office, where he advises corporate clients, private companies, and public entities—including school districts, water agencies, and redevelopment authorities—on complex legal and business challenges. His work spans redevelopment, transportation, affordable housing, water and wastewater systems, commercial disputes, and public-private partnerships.

For nearly 20 years, Ruben served as outside counsel to a developer that built two master-planned communities in South Orange County. He also guided one of California’s largest school districts through a critical high school project, helping secure $180 million in funding through legislative changes and settlement negotiations when federal law changes threatened the project.

Ruben is also a trusted advisor to multiple Southern California water districts, providing legal strategy on litigation, annexations, and water management. His practice extends internationally, covering corporate, financial, and real estate transactions. Earlier in his career, Ruben worked in the White House Office of Hispanic Affairs, contributing to federal policy initiatives.

As office Partner-in-Charge, he leads a diverse team of attorneys committed to advancing client objectives with efficiency and foresight.

Other Info About Ruben

Experience

Legal Work Highlights

Represented two global oil and gas companies in transactions exceeding $4 billion, including the sale of multiple refineries and thousands of service stations across California and Washington

Advised Orange County community college districts on governance, property acquisitions, and campus development

Counseled major Hispanic business and civic organizations on governance restructuring, board management, and compliance

Education

Law School

Yale Law School, J.D., 1984

Graduate School

University of Southern California, M.P.A., 1982

Undergraduate School

University of Southern California, B.S., Intergovernmental Management, 1980

Bar Memberships

Ruben is licensed to practice in the following state(s):

California

Recognition

Local & National Recognition

Selected for inclusion in Southern California Super Lawyers®, 2022-2025

The Best Lawyers in America®, Real Estate Law, 2022-2025

Law Firm Leadership Award, Hispanic National Bar Foundation, 2024

Legacy Award, USC Latino Alumni Association, 2017

Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent® Rated Lawyer

Professional Affiliations

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

Genesis Bank, Board of Directors

Latino Food Industry Association, Chair

Orange County Bar Association, Member

Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Advisory Board Member; former President

Rancho Santiago Community College District, General Counsel

State Bar of California, Member

Assistant City Attorney, former

California Housing Finance Agency, former Board Member

Cerritos College Board of Trustees, former General Counsel

City National Bank Latin Advisory Board, former Member

Hispanic Bar Association of Orange County, former President

Latino Coalition, former Board Member

Merrill Lynch Smith Barney Advisory Board, former Member

OC Fair & Event Center (32nd District Agricultural Association), former Board Member

Orange County Business Council, former Board Member

SoCal Minority Business Development Council, former Board Member

U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, former General Counsel

Civic Activities

Civic & Charitable Organizations

Hispanic Education Endowment Fund, Founder

St. Joseph Hospital Board of Trustees, Member

University of California, Irvine, Foundation Board of Directors, Trustee

Automobile Club of Southern California, former Board Member

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, former Board Member

James Irvine Foundation Leadership Awards Committee, former Board Member

Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, former Board Member

Tiger Woods Learning Center, former Board Member

USC Latino Alumni Association Corporate Advisory Council, former Chair

Firm Committees

Ruben serves or has served in the following leadership role(s) at Frost Brown Todd:

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Committee, Co-Chair

Related Insights