Howard L. Smith was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1955. He attended the University of Oklahoma as an undergraduate studying chemistry. He then attended the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center where he received a medical doctorate in 1985. After receiving his medical degree Dr. Smith went to the University of Missouri at Columbia where he studied Neurosurgery in a Residency Program for 6 years. He began his private practice of Neurosurgery in 1991.

Dr. Smith attended law school at Loyola of New Orleans, graduating in 2002. He joined the firm in May of 2004, practicing in medical malpractice defense, hospital law and other insurance defense. He is admitted to all Mississippi state and federal courts, as well as the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Howard is a Diplomate of the American Board of Neurological Surgery. He is also a Diplomate of the American Board of Independent Medical Examiners and a Fellow of the American College of Legal Medicine.

Dr. Smith is a member of the America Medical Association, the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the American Bar Association, in addition to the College of Legal Medicine.