About Us

For the past twelve years, I’ve dedicated my practice exclusively to criminal defense in Utah. In that time, I’ve successfully argued and won bench and jury trials, prevailed in motion hearings, and secured monetary judgments for clients in wrongful arrest cases against law enforcement. I’ve also briefed, argued, and won cases before the Utah Court of Appeals and the Utah Supreme Court.

My experience extends to working within the court systems of Utah and Colorado, and interning with both the Salt Lake City Prosecutor’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Arizona. This background gives me valuable insight into how judges and prosecutors think and operate. Criminal law is my passion, and I’m proud to be an attorney.

Dain Smoland, Esq. (Manager & Owner)

Law Licenses

State of Utah

Federal Court for the District of Utah

10th Circuit Court of Appeals

Legal Experience

Owner-Manager, Smoland Law

Intern, Salt Lake City Prosecutor’s Office

Volunteer Attorney, Utah Crime Victims Legal Clinic

Volunteer Legal Intern, United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona

Judicial Extern, Chambers of Federal Magistrate Judge Samuel Alba, District of Utah

Court Judicial Assistant, Colorado Sixth Judicial District

Degrees and Accomplishments

Juris Doctor, Vermont Law School

  • Magna Cum Laude

  • Top 10% of Class

  • Law Review Editor

  • Member of Mock Trial Team

  • Two Academic Excellence Awards for Highest Final Grade (Constitutional Law and Corporations)

Master’s Degree, Northern Arizona University

  • Summa Cum Laude

  • Graduate Teaching Assistant

Bachelor’s Degree, Northern Arizona University

  • Honors College, Summa Cum Laude

Professional Organizations

The Utah Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

The American Bar Association

The Utah Young Lawyers Division

The Salt Lake County Bar Association

NORML Legal Committee

Law Publications

…And Damned If You Don’t: Utah’s Plea Withdrawal Statute is a Devil’s Bargain for Criminal Defendants, Utah Journal of Criminal Law, Spring 2021, Volume 5, Issue 1 (Co-Authored with Ann Taliaferro).

Keep Calm and Argue the Facts: A Pragmatic Approach to the Doctrine of Chances, Utah Bar Journal, Sep/Oct 2012, Vol 26, #5, Page 45-49.  You can also view it here.

Community and Volunteer Work

Assisted the Utah Young Architects Forum in the launch of SixtyNine Seventy, an international design competition aimed at revitalizing two city blocks in downtown Salt Lake City.   

Ready to discuss your case?

Feel free to give us a call or fill out our contact form to discuss the details of your case. Don’t hesitate, we are always willing to discuss your case and our services.

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