Eric Smith

Practice Focus

Eric Smith is a Veterans Disability Attorney at Berry Law who represents former service members in disability claims and appeals with a combination of military service, appellate advocacy, and public-service conviction. A VA-accredited attorney and Major in the U.S. Army Reserve, Eric approaches each case with a clear sense of mission: to help Veterans secure the benefits they earned through service. His practice is grounded in strategic legal analysis, persuasive written advocacy, and a strong understanding of how life-changing a successful result can be for a client who has been waiting months or years for justice.

Eric’s commitment to this work is shaped by both his legal training and his direct experience serving alongside members of the military community. He has said that seeing the hardships disabled Veterans endure—and then witnessing the difference proper benefits can make in their daily lives—continues to motivate his work. He views his role as an extension of service to his country, using the law to stand beside those who have already sacrificed on its behalf.

Role at Berry Law

At Berry Law, Eric is part of a team devoted to helping Veterans navigate a system that is often complex, delayed, and difficult to face alone. He brings to the firm a disciplined, courtroom-ready style and a belief that Veterans deserve both compassion and rigorous legal representation. Before joining Berry Law, Eric served as an appellate attorney with the VA Office of General Counsel, where he worked on cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. That experience gave him valuable insight into the legal standards, procedural issues, and advocacy strategies that shape Veterans law at the appellate level. Recently, in recognition of his work at Berry Law, Eric was selected as one of the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association's 40 Best LGBTQ+ Lawyers Under 40.

Eric’s broader legal background also reflects a long-standing dedication to public service and advocacy. Even before law school, he pursued leadership roles centered on justice and civic engagement. In high school, he participated in mock trial and later rose to the rank of Attorney General for Texas YMCA Youth and Government, an organization serving thousands of students. He has continued that community-minded work beyond his legal practice, including while serving in Washington, D.C., as an elected Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner.

Service to Veterans

Eric’s service background is central to the perspective he brings to Berry Law’s clients. He has served in the U.S. Army Reserve since 2012 and currently holds the rank of Major. His military work has included missions in the United States and overseas in Africa and Europe. His service has been recognized with the Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and Joint Service Achievement Award. That record reflects not only leadership and professionalism, but also a sustained commitment to serving others under demanding conditions.

For Eric, representing Veterans is not abstract. He understands the seriousness of military obligations, the sacrifices service members make, and the frustration that can follow when the benefits system fails to respond fairly. Clients working with Eric receive an attorney who is deeply invested in the outcome of their cases and who believes that strong advocacy can restore stability, dignity, and opportunity for those who served.

Background & Interests

Eric earned his B.F.A. in Film Production from Chapman University in 2012, a background that reflects his longstanding interest in people, storytelling, and communication. During law school, he also served on the GW Law Moot Court Board and Mock Trial Board. He got his start in Veterans law volunteering with the Veterans Pro Bono Consortium during his first semester of law school. He also previously assisted indigent Veterans in the Washington, D.C. area as a fellow with Legal Counsel for the Elderly’s Veterans Advocacy Project.

His legal career is marked by a combination of intellectual rigor, service, and conviction.

Outside of work, Eric is an advocate for altruistic living organ donation. As a living kidney donor himself, he encourages others to explore the opportunity to change a life through donation.

He enjoys painting, spending time outdoors, volunteering in his community, and sharing life in Washington, D.C., with his husband, Colin, and their dog, Ollie. Across each part of his life and work, Eric is guided by the same principle: using his abilities in service of others.