R. Pete Smith, a commercial and trial lawyer, is President of McDowell, Rice, Smith & Buchanan, P.C. Mr. Smith graduated magna cum laude from both the University of Kansas and University of Missouri at Kansas City School of Law. In addition to being admitted to practice in both Missouri and Kansas state and federal courts, Mr. Smith also is admitted to the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Federal Claims, the United States Tax Court, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. He has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America for over 18 years and in Missouri Super Lawyers for the past three years. Mr. Smith co-authored three books on bankruptcy law: A Bank's Rights in Bankruptcy, A Creditor's Guide to Bankruptcy, and Guide to Challenging Consumer Bankruptcy.