Welcome to

The Smith

Law Firm, PC

When you need legal help, you need advice you can trust. The Smith Law Firm, PLLC provides experienced legal services throughout Iowa. 

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The Smith Law Firm, PLLC

At The Smith Law Firm, we limit our practice to the areas of criminal and personal injury litigation, bankruptcy, and estate planning. If you have a legal matter outside of the area of our expertise we will gladly refer you to an attorney who has the expertise to which you are looking.


At the Smith Law Firm, it is our mission to understand our clients’ needs and give them the best legal service.

ABOUT US

Guiding You Through

LIFE'S CHALLENGES

Believe, Inform, Empower & Defend

Welcome to the Smith Law Firm, P.C.


When you need legal help, you need advice you can trust. Having someone who has specific experience in the assistance you need is invaluable. At The Smith Law Firm, PLLC, we work in just a few areas of the law because we have built a tried-and-true system to address these specific legal areas.



  • Personal Injury
  • Estate Planning
  • Bankruptcy
  • Criminal Defense

We work hard to understand our clients’ needs to provide the best legal services possible. If you want a highly skilled attorney who has years of experience in your specific legal area, you have come to the right place.


The Smith Law Firm, PLLC, will guide you through your legal rights and responsibilities, whether you are working through a criminal charge or you want to create an estate plan. We will give you straightforward, easy-to-understand legal advice that you can use right away.


Shawn Smith with The Smith Law Firm, PLLC, wants to create long-term partnerships with his clients. He goes above and beyond to address your legal needs. He is ready to put his 20 years of legal experience to work for you. 


Our team is located in Ames, Iowa, and we serve Ames, Des Moines, and the entire state of Iowa. Contact The Smith Law Firm, PLLC today to schedule your free case evaluation.

FEATURED PRACTICE AREAS


PERSONAL INJURY

At The Smith Law Firm we handle many types of personal injury cases including slip and fall premises liability; pedestrian accidents; car, truck, and motorcycle accidents; medical malpractice and nursing home neglect; dog bites; and product liability cases.

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ESTATE PLANNING

Estate planning should be a vital part of your life plans. It allows you to organize your assets and dispose of them in the manner you prefer. Even more important, it allows you to make vital provisions for what happens to your kids and even yourself.

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BANKRUPTCY

For consumers who are anxious over their monetary situation — perhaps to the point where they’re struggling to sleep at night — bankruptcy might be more of a relief than a stressor.

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CRIMINAL DEFENSE

Facing a criminal charge alone can be very scary and overwhelming.  Don’t go through the criminal process in Iowa alone. Call The Smith Law Firm, PLLC, for compassionate legal assistance.

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My wife and I needed help navigating the Medicaid system for my mother-in-law. Shawn was excellent . His advice was right on. He also handled the paper work we needed done. Shawn made us feel so comfortable and at ease discussing our case. The Smith Law Firm is excellent.

Recent Blog Posts

By Shawn Smith September 19, 2025
We all have an online life now, even if we don’t think of it that way. Your email, bank app, photo storage, and social media logins are all part of your “digital estate”. Unfortunately, most people have no plan in place for what happens to these things when they’re gone. So what does happen? Without a digital estate plan: Your family may not be able to access your accounts — even if they know your passwords. Your bills might keep charging. Important documents or memories could be lost forever. Worse, accounts could be hacked or misused, and no one would know how to stop it. It’s a mess — and it’s preventable. Here’s what you can do right now to start protecting your digital legacy: Make a list of your important accounts. Include email, banking, investment, cloud storage, social media, subscriptions, and anything with sensitive info. Decide who gets access. Choose a trusted person to take over if you can’t manage your accounts anymore. Use a password manager or secure place to store login info. Make sure someone knows how to find it when needed. Talk to your estate planning attorney. A good plan includes a digital asset provision and clear authority for your executor or agent to access your accounts. Start Planning Today Your online life matters—don’t leave it in limbo. From email to cloud storage, we’ll help you plan for your digital assets. Start by booking a Peace of Mind Planning Session. We’ll talk through your options, explain our flat fees, and if it makes sense to work together, go over next steps. Mention this blog and we’ll waive the $350 session fee. Click the link to start now! 
By Shawn Smith September 8, 2025
In July 2025, Congress raised the federal estate tax exemption to $15 million per person (or $30 million for married couples ). This means most families will not have to pay estate taxes when they pass away, as most Americans have significantly less. So, if taxes aren’t a concern, does that mean estate planning doesn’t matter anymore? Not even close. In fact, it matters more than ever —and here’s why: 1. State Taxes Still Apply Many states have their own estate or inheritance taxes, and their exemption limits are much lower. For example, New York’s exemption is currently around $6.9 million, and if your estate goes just a dollar over, you could lose the entire exemption. Even if you avoid federal taxes, your estate could still owe your state a big check. 2. Avoiding Family Disputes & Probate Estate planning is just as much about clarity, control, and peace of mind as it is taxes. Without a plan, your family could end up in court, fighting over your assets, or stuck in a years-long probate process. A thoughtful estate plan makes your wishes crystal clear and keeps your family out of conflict. 3. Protecting the People You Love Planning allows you to name guardians for your kids, protect inheritances from divorce or creditors, and ensure your healthcare and financial decisions are honored if something happens to you. It’s about protecting your legacy—not just your money. Now is the perfect time to create a plan that reflects your values, protects your family, and makes sure everything you’ve worked for is handled the right way. Take the Next Step Time to finally get your estate plan done? Start with a Peace of Mind Planning Session. We’ll walk you through your options and explain our flat fees. Mention this blog and we’ll waive the $295 session fee. Click on the link and start Here!
By Shawn Smith July 18, 2025
A beach house in Florida. A ski cabin in Colorado. A lakeside retreat in Michigan. Vacation homes are one of life’s great luxuries - a place to unwind, create memories, and escape the grind. But if you own property in more than one state, your estate plan needs to do more than simply “pass things along.” Because without the right planning, that second home could cause your family a real headache after you’re gone. The Hidden Problem with Out-of-State Property If your primary residence is in New York, but you own a vacation condo in California. If you pass away with just a will, both states may require separate probate proceedings - one in each jurisdiction. These are called ancillary probate. That means potentially two courts, two sets of lawyers, twice the time and twice the cost. What You Can Do If you want your family to avoid ancillary probate, one option is to place the property in a revocable living trust. This is the most common and flexible way to avoid probate in multiple states. The trust “owns” the home, so when you pass away, it can transfer to your beneficiaries without court involvement. A second option is to create a limited liability company (LLC). In some cases, especially if the property is rented or shared among multiple family members, placing the vacation home in an LLC can make sense for liability protection, tax planning, and smoother transitions. We Can Help We help families who own out-of-state real estate every day. Start by booking a Peace of Mind Planning Session. We’ll answer your questions, go over your options, and present our flat fees. Then, if we decide we’re a good fit to work together, we’ll discuss next steps. And if not, that’s fine too! Mention this article and we’ll waive the $275 session fee. Click on the link to start now!
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