Focuses include blockchain, corporate governance and real estate
Frost Brown Todd’s Dallas office continues growing with three new hires. They include Members Robert B. Smith, Steven R. Smith and Sean Whyte. These additions make a total of 11 new hires since January for the expanding office.
Robert B. Smith is a Dallas native who has been in private practice in the city since 1993. His business law practice was primarily focused on several diverse areas, including amusement and entertainment law, corporate governance in the nonprofit sector, and oil and gas law. He currently serves as general counsel for the State Fair of Texas, a position he has held since 2004. Through his work with the State Fair, he has become active in numerous industry groups and is a frequent speaker on topics that focus on amusement parks, fairs, festivals and entertainment venues. His practice has also led him to significant experience in the corporate governance of the nonprofit sector and he has assisted several well-known nonprofits with the modernization of their governance models. Smith’s diverse practice as a sole practitioner has also led to more than 20 years of experience in the oil and gas industry guiding clients through all aspects of their business cycles, including entity formation, acquisitions, due diligence, contracts and sale transactions. He is also active in many civic and charitable organizations in Dallas, and currently serves on the board of several leading Dallas nonprofit entities. In 2012, Smith served as Tournament Chairman for the PGA Tour’s Byron Nelson Championship and raised over $5.5 million for a local charity, the Momentous Institute, and later was Board Chair of the Salesmanship Club Charitable Golf of Dallas, Inc.
Steven R. Smith focuses on real estate lending and servicing. Clients include conduit and other lenders and borrowers involved in the financing of commercial real estate, developers, and other real estate professionals in every aspect of the industry from development to acquisition and dispositions, multifamily, residential community development and mixed-use development. He also handles assumptions, defeasance transactions, loan modifications, REMIC tax issues, and other servicing issues for CMBS master and special servicers. Steve Smith’s bankruptcy litigation experience includes preference and fraudulent transfer actions, automatic stay litigation, lien and priority disputes, contested confirmation proceedings, and bankruptcy appeals.
Sean Whyte joins FBT’s business litigation and blockchain and digital currency practice groups. He also advises companies on the legal implications of blockchain. Whyte’s insights come from years of experience representing individual blockchains, cryptocurrency exchanges, and companies building businesses with blockchain technology. He formerly served as chief operating officer and general counsel of a blockchain software development company and remains on the cutting-edge of distributed ledger technology through his industry connections. Whyte also uses his former in-house legal experience to aid early stage technology start-ups with their unique legal issues. Whyte’s business litigation practice involves representation of companies in the energy, transportation, and healthcare industries. He has taken numerous cases to trial in both state and federal court. Whyte enjoys partnering with his clients to find the best business solutions to litigation matters.