High Profile: KEVIN B. SMITH

Kevin B. Smith has heard all the lawyer jokes.

And they used to be funny. That is, until he became one. A lawyer, that is. Not a joke.

"There is still one that makes me laugh, though," he says from behind a desk covered in papers so high they almost block his entire 6-foot-9 frame from view: "What do you call a thousand lawyers at the bottom of the ocean?"

You don't know, you tell him.

"A good start."

You laugh because, well, it has a little truth to it.

In court

A good start for telling Smith's story is at The Citadel, where the Charleston native played basketball on scholarship for four years. He was a power forward; not bad, not great. But during his time at the school, he learned plenty of life lessons that would help shape him into the man he is today.

He's not your typical Citadel grad. No short haircut. No perfect posture. No secret handshake. Simply a man who learned that respect and good time management will go a long way in the real world.

When he graduated in 1994, he went into the field of law because he wanted to help make a difference in the world. Something that, for the first few years of his career, didn't seem to be happening.

"I remember this one case," he says. "I was representing a girl who accidentally hit a guy in her car — he wasn't hurt or anything, it was pretty low impact. But they charged her with assault and battery with intent to kill." After visiting the scene and interviewing everybody involved, Smith then examined the case from every possible angle. Finally, when her trial date came, he went into the courtroom and got all charges against her dismissed. And then he never heard from her again.

She didn't pay him, didn't say thanks. That was it.

"It wasn't about the money. I was going to give her back whatever she gave me anyway," he says. "Here I was thinking I was making a difference, but I really wasn't. That was sort of just the last straw for me."

So in 2002, he accepted a position at the Steinberg Law Firm, trying worker's compensation cases for people who hopefully would be a little more grateful for his services.

Doing more

Most people, when they think of worker's compensation lawyers, think of a guy screaming on the TV about getting you big cash. But the real truth, Smith will tell you, is that these are the men and women who for the most part represent the little people who are simply trying to get what is fair.

After less than a year with his new employer, Smith realized not only was he enjoying himself more, but he was actually making a difference in people's lives. And that's when he decided to take it one step further.

"I realized that many of these people are poor and uneducated," he says. "And many of them won't be able to do what they did before after the money runs out from their settlement."

So he made it a priority to help them continue to make a living. That came in the form of the Trident Literacy Association.

As the chairman of the board of directors, Smith is in charge of everything from direction to policy and management of the association that prides itself on increasing literacy in Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties. Smith's focus is on fundraising.

"There are two things we always need: money and volunteers," he says.

By volunteering with Trident Literacy, he feels that he is helping do his part to get the people he represents back on their feet and in a better position than they were before their accident.

'Key' to success

September is International Literacy Awareness month, and Smith is excited about one of the newer programs going on at TLA. It's called the WorkKeys program, and it gives injured workers a leg up on getting a better job by measuring their "real world" skills. You know, things employers are looking for like communication, problem-solving and interpersonal skills. As of now, nearly 250 employers statewide are using the program to hire and promote to new jobs.

"It's a great program and it's a great way to help people take care of themselves even when they can't do their manual labor jobs anymore," Smith says.

It seems as if the lanky basketball player from The Citadel has come a long way in his 14 years in the field of law. And that's no joke.

Reach Bryce Donovan at 937-5938 or bdonovan@postandcourier.com.