SKS-new
  • Stephanie K. Smodish
  • Shareholder
  • Co-Chair - Construction Law
  • Arthur Chapman Kettering Smetak & Pikala, P.A.
  • Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • 612-375-5956  direct dial
  • 612-339-7655  fax

  • sksmodish@arthurchapman.com
LinkedIn vCard Print Arthur Chapman Kettering Smetak & Pikala, P.A.

Stephanie focuses her practice on representing a wide array of clients in the construction industry, including developers, construction managers, general contractors, architects, engineers, and subcontractors. She litigates cases involving construction defects and delays, as well as counsels clients on risk management, loss transfers, and internal governance issues. Clients can be assured that Stephanie does not back down from a challenge, and enjoys brainstorming creative, cost-effective solutions to complex issues.

Before joining Arthur Chapman, Stephanie practiced law in New York and New Jersey at two well-regarded defense firms, and has more than eight years of experience handling a diverse caseload, including commercial automobile liability, premises liability, products liability, and toxic tort. She also has experience with high-profile federal litigation, having worked on national products liability class actions and the toxic tort litigation stemming from the World Trade Center terrorist attacks. Thomson Reuters selected Stephanie to the Super Lawyers® New York-Metro Rising Stars list for 2014-16. She is looking forward to utilizing and adapting the skills she developed representing corporate clients in New York to the Minnesota area.

Stephanie graduated with a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Minnesota and obtained her J.D. cum laude from New York Law School. Stephanie recently welcomed her first child with her husband Jeff and is settling into life in the south-metro. Seeing live musical theatre and binge-watching shows on streaming sites are among her favorite activities.

Honors
Selected as a Super Lawyer®, New York Metro Rising Star, 2014-2017
Selected as a Super Lawyer®, New York Metro Top Women, 2015-2016

Presentations

  • "Best Practices for Preserving Documents and Avoiding Spoliation," Minnesota Construction Law Seminar, Arthur, Chapman, Kettering, Smetak & Pikala, P.A., September 2022
  • "Application of Attorney-Client and Work-Product Privilege to In-House or Pre-Litigation Investigations," Associated General Contractors HR Forum, April 2022
  • "Application of Attorney-Client and Work-Product Privilege to In-House or Pre-Litigation Investigations," MDLA 2022 Mid-Winter Conference, April 2022
  • “The Who, What, Where, When, and How of E-Discovery,” Minnesota Construction Law Seminar, Arthur, Chapman, Kettering, Smetak & Pikala, P.A., January 2019

Education

New York Law School, J.D., 2008 (New York Law School Law Review, New York Law School Moot Court, Order of the Barristers, Best Advocate Award)
University of Minnesota, B.A., 2005


Bar Admissions

Minnesota, 2016
New Jersey, 2008
New York, 2009
United States District Court, District of Minnesota, 2019
United States District Court, District of New Jersey, 2008
United States District Court, Southern District of New York, 2009
United States District Court, Eastern District of New York, 2009
United States Court of Appeals, Third Circuit, 2014


Published Decisions

Gluck v. Nebgen, 72 A.D.3d 1023, 898 N.Y.S.2d 881 (N.Y. App. Div. 2010)
Burrell v. Barreiro, 83 A.D.3d 984, 922 N.Y.S.2d 465 (N.Y. App. Div. 2011)
Khan v. MMCA Lease Ltd., 100 A.D.3d 833, 954 N.Y.S.2d 595 (N.Y. App. Div. 2012)


Professional Associations and Memberships

Hennepin County Bar Association
Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association
Minnesota State Bar Association


Licenses

Minnesota
New Jersey
New York

Practice Areas


Legal Team