Arianna Smith
Senior Counsel
Phone: 214-220-1220
Fax: 214-220-2770
Personal and Powerful
Arianna is a civil litigator and family lawyer with a broad-based practice who is motivated, first and foremost, by the prospect of making her client whole and defending her client’s rights.
In one memorable case, she represented a client who, because the Texas Appraiser Licensing & Certification Board denied him the ability to appeal the revocation of his Texas appraiser license, lost his livelihood of more than twenty years. Arianna’s creative legal argument prompted the Board to grant the appeal and ultimately reinstate the license — thereby allowing the client to once again make a living in his chosen field.
Additional accomplishments:
- Obtained summary judgment dismissing claims for declaratory judgment in a breach of fiduciary duty and fraud case in Harris County, Texas.
- Obtained summary judgment resulting in dismissal of premise liability and negligence claims in Collin County, Texas.
- Obtained summary judgment resulting in dismissal of personal injury and Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act claims pursuant to a limitations clause in arbitration agreement.
- Obtained summary judgment resulting in dismissal of wrongful foreclosure claim involving the sale of property appraised at over $1 million dollars in Dallas County, Texas.
- Obtained summary judgment for residential real estate brokerage company resulting in complete dismissal of fraud and Texas Deceptive Trade Practice Act claims in Travis County, Texas.
- Obtained summary judgment for a plaintiff client in breach of contract case in Travis County, Texas, resulting in judgment in favor of client for full amount of damages and attorneys’ fees and successfully obtained writ of garnishment to satisfy judgment.
More Than Just a Lawyer
While living in Austin, Arianna volunteered with the Marbridge Foundation, a residential community that offers lifetime care to adults with a wide range of cognitive disabilities. She also provided pro bono services for the Texas Civil Rights Project, which included advocating for disability rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Arianna was inspired to become a lawyer by her stepfather, who passed away in 2020. An attorney for more than forty years, her stepfather gave Arianna the courage to accomplish her goals and be a champion for her clients. Shortly after her stepfather died, her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, and Arianna faced the difficult challenge of helping her mother navigate both her grief and chemotherapy at the same time, all during the earliest stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
That experience not only strengthened Arianna’s own resolve on behalf of her clients, but it also reinforced her commitment to treasure time with her family.
Traditional yet Innovative
All of the attorneys at Brousseau Naftis & Massingill believe there is power in words. Words, proverbs, sayings, and quotations have the power to connect the present to the past. The words and sayings that each attorney holds onto are meaningful in shaping the firm’s culture and philosophies.
Arianna’s favorite quote is, “Life is not a dress rehearsal.” Arianna knows all too well that life is short, and it can change on a dime. So, she cherishes time with her family and friends, taking long walks with her dog Margo, supporting her mom’s art and frequenting galleries, and binge-reading thrillers. She also brings that same sense of urgency to her work, knowing that for her clients, the resolution of a “small legal matter” can mean getting their life back.