G. Murrell Smith, Jr. is the co-founding member of Smith Robinson. His practice includes a wide variety of practice areas, including:
- Civil Litigation Practice
- Civil Appellate Practice
- Insurance Defense
- Insurance Coverage Issues
- Arson and Insurance Fraud
- Personal Injury
- Medical Malpractice Defense
- Governmental Law
- Trusts and Estates
- Legal Malpractice Defense
- Nursing Home Litigation
G. Murrell Smith, Jr. is a co-founding member of Smith Robinson. G. Murrell Smith, Jr. He focuses his practice in a variety of areas including civil litigation, medical malpractice defense, insurance defense, and governmental law. On April 28, 2022, Murrell was elected to be Speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives. He began his term as Speaker on May 12, 2022.
A native of Florence, South Carolina, Murrell grew up in Sumter, where he graduated from Wilson Hall in 1986. He attended Wofford College in 1990, earning a Bachelor of Arts in History and Government. After earning his Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1993, Murrell began practicing law in his hometown of Sumter. He started with a general law practice yet simultaneously served as a part-time public defender from 1994-1998. As a public defender, Murrell tried numerous DUI and drug cases and major felonies to include murder trials and death penalty cases.
Murrell later joined the practice of Lee, Erter, Wilson, Holler & Smith, LLC. Smith’s focus evolved to insurance defense, automobile claims, and medical malpractice defense. He has tried numerous cases to verdict and has honed his trial skills to concentrate on more complex litigation to include nursing homes, business litigation, workers compensation, medical malpractice and legal malpractice. Murrell now has a presence representing clients in virtually every county in the state. He has an AV Preeminent Rating by Martindale-Hubbell.
In 2000, Murrell was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives, serving District 67. He began his political career as a member of the House Judiciary Committee rising to first vice chairman. In 2009, he moved to the House Ways and Means Committee and was Chairman of the Health and Human Services Subcommittee beginning in 2012. On December 5, 2018, Murrell was elected as the Chairman of the South Carolina House Ways and Means Committee. Murrell also serves as the Chairman of the House Ethics Committee and on the South Carolina Judicial Merit Selection Commission.
Murrell was elected to membership in the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) in 2020 and was also selected for the 2020 Compleat Lawyer Award by the University of South Carolina School of Law. He has been selected for the 2021 edition of Best Lawyers in America for his work in Commercial Litigation. Murrell was also chosen for the "Leadership in Law" award by South Carolina Lawyers Weekly in 2019, and was voted "Best Elected Official" for the 2020 edition of Best of Sumter by The Sumter Item.
Political Associations
- Elected to S.C. House of Representatives: 2000 - Present
- Representing District 67 Sumter County
- Speaker of the S.C. House: 2022 - present
- Ways and Means Committee: 2009 - 2022
- Chairman, SC House Ways and Means Committee: Dec 2018 - 2022
- Chairman of Health, Human Services & Medicaid Subcommittee: 2012-December 2018
- Judicial Merit Screening Committee: 2016 - 2022
- House Ethics Committee: 2016 - 2022
- Chairman: 2018 - 2022
- Joint Bond Review Committee: 2016 - 2022
- SC Agency Head Salary Review Commission: 2016 - present
- Appointed to SC Military Affairs Commission: 2006 - 2022
- Commission of Indigent Defense: 2005 - 2022
- Judiciary Committee 2001- 2009:
- Criminal Laws Subcommittee Chair 2005 - 2009
- 1st Vice Chair 2002 - 2004
- Joint Other Fund Oversight Committee, Vice Chairman: 2011 - 2015
- SC Sentencing Reform Commission, Vice Chairman: 2010
- SC GOP House Ethics Reform Study Committee, Chairman: 2012
- Sumter County Public Defender Corporation Board
- Board Member: 1998 - present
- Chairman: 2005 - 2007
Professional Associations and Memberships
- American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
- South Carolina Bar
- Sumter County Bar
- S.C. Defense Trial Lawyers Association
- Defense Research Institute
- Association of Defense Trial Lawyers (ADTA)
- South Carolina Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- Pee Dee Chapter Inn of Court, charter member
- Wofford Alumni Executive Committee: 2003-2005
- South Carolina Bar
- Sumter Gallery of Art Board 2003-2005
- Sumter Palmetto Rotary Club 1994-present
Education
- University of South Carolina School of Law, Juris Doctor, 1993
- Wofford College, B.A., 1990
Bar Admissions
- South Carolina, 1993
- U.S. District Court, South Carolina District, 1994
Awards and Recognitions
- 2024 - 2021 Edition of Best Lawyers in America for Commercial Litigation
- 2023, 2022, 2021 "Midlands Legal Elite" for Healthcare (Medical Malpractice Defense), Columbia Business Monthly
- Elected for Membership in the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
- 2020 Compleat Lawyer Award, UofSC School of Law
- "2020 Best Elected Official," Best of Sumter publication by The Sumter Item
- 2019 South Carolina Lawyer’s Weekly Leadership in Law honoree
- 2018 Easterseals South Carolina Legislator of the Year
- 2018 Child Advocate Award
- 2018 Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Solomon Award
- 2018 United Way South Carolina Common Good Award for Health
- 2017 Medical University of South Carolina Healthy Communities Award recipient
- 2015 Conservation Voters of South Carolina Green Tie Award
- Council of Governments House Legislator of Year Award 2015
- South Carolina Medical Association Legislator of the Year Award 2015
- Legislator of the Year 2014 Sierra Club
- Legislator of the Year 2014 and 2015 Behavioral Health Services Association
- Honorary Degree Recipient Medical University of South Carolina May 2014, Doctor of Humane Letters
- Community Health Center Champion Award (2013)
- South Carolina Primary Health Care Association Award (2013)
- Legislator of the Year 2013- South Carolina Human Services Provider’s Association
- Legislation Award for South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation 2013
- 2009 South Carolina Commission on Indigent Defense Distinguished Service Award
- Sumter County Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Achievement Award 2008
- 2008 Arson Investigators Legislator of the Year
- 2008 South Carolina Fraternal Order of Police, House Member of the Year
- 2008 The State Newspaper Top 20 under 40 Award
- 2007 South Carolina Public Defender Association Legislator of the Year
- 2007 The Daniel Award, Gun Owners of South Carolina
- Humane Society Legislator of the Year 2007
- 2005 South Carolina Solicitor’s Association Legislator of the Year
- Legislator of the Year Victim’s Assistance Network, 2005
- Legislator of the Year SC Prosecution Coordination Commission, 2005
- Wilson Hall Alumni of Year, 2003