After receiving an honors degree from Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri, Gregory headed south by southwest– to Austin where he attended The University of Texas School of Law in Austin, Texas. While in law school, Gregory was an editor for the Texas Journal of Oil, Gas and Energy Law and attended Queen Mary University in London, England for a study abroad program.

Before joining Vela Wood, Gregory worked in the energy sector for many years, handling a range of matters for clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small independent businesses. Adept in all energy sector transactions, it was during this time, Gregory served as in house counsel for a company who sold their primary assets (located in Martin County, Texas) at the largest price per acre metric ever seen in a private sale -totaling nearly six hundred million dollars. Gregory has ample experience assisting companies as both in house counsel and working for private law firms in matters ranging from real estate to corporate issues.

As a result of his diversifying practice, he has recently been asked to serve on a board for the AAPL, drafting form agreements for renewable energy development in the State of Texas. Bringing this experience to Vela Wood, Gregory hopes to further develop his transactional practice by continuing to assist companies and individuals with their transactional needs.

Gregory has a wide range of community involvements serving currently as the President of the Board of Directors of Casa de Amigos, a West Texas based non-profit that provides food, clothing, shelter, health care and senior services to underserved Latino communities in West Texas. He also currently serves on the board of directors for a large symphony in West Texas.

In his free time, Gregory is an avid fly fisherman and also enjoys skiing, birding, traveling, and barbecuing. He is a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals and has two wonderful daughters, Geneva and Cecily.

Select Transactions

  • Represented a 130+ member seller group in the divestiture of primary energy assets in the amount of $600M or ~$60K per net acre (the largest price per acre achieved in a large-scale private sale)
  • Negotiated shared ground lease between client and private Dallas area school for large, shared-use sporting facilities
  • Represented client in securing $26MM Construction Loan
  • Represented client (large veterinary clinic) in corporate restructure
  • Negotiated commercial leases for clients in office, restaurant, retail, and industrial sectors
  • Represented family seller group in land and asset sale totaling $25M in Ward and Winkler Counties, Texas
  • Represented energy company in sale of assets totaling ~$5M
  • Represented R&R Construction, Inc. in ~$5M stock sale to private purchaser
  • Restructured corporate holdings for large ranching and energy backed family assets in Midland County, Texas

Genius Is No More Than Childhood Recaptured At Will, Childhood Equipped Now With Man’s Physical Means To Express Itself, And With The Analytical Mind That Enables It To Bring Order Into The Sum Of Experience, Involuntarily Amassed.

– Baudelaire

Fun Facts:

  • Once did English language dubbing for a German deodorant commercial. His line? “Don’t sweat it.”
  • Has an autobiographical locational memory. Meaning he can always get back to anyplace he’s already been.
  • Has been told by his family that his true calling should have been cartoon voice work.
  • His family is from Scranton, Pennsylvania – yes, “The Office” Scranton.

Education:

  • The University of Texas School of Law, J.D.
  • Saint Louis University, Honors B.A., Summa Cum Laude
Gregory D. Smith
Rated by Super Lawyers


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