Jonathan T. Smies

Meet Jon

Jon is a shareholder in our Green Bay office and a member of the Litigation practice. The focus of Jon’s practice is complex business litigation, including complex contract disputes, intellectual property, product liability, commercial torts, employment, real estate, insurance coverage, and dealership disputes before federal and state courts and arbitral tribunals.

Prior to joining Godfrey & Kahn, Jon was a law clerk to the Honorable William C. Griesbach of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. He also served on active duty in the United States Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps as a trial attorney. In this capacity, he represented the government in employment litigation, and appeared as both government and defense counsel in courts-martial and other administrative proceedings. In 2006, Jon deployed to Baghdad, Iraq, and received the Iraq Campaign Medal. He joined the Wisconsin Air National Guard as a judge advocate in 2008. In 2023, he retired as a Colonel and was awarded the Legion of Merit.

Jon is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, Wisconsin Supreme Court, the United States District Courts for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, the Western District of Wisconsin, the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, the U.S. Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals, and the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.

Jon graduated from the University of Michigan Law School. He completed his undergraduate studies at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, graduating magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Biblical/Theological Studies. He also obtained a Master of Military Operational Art and Science with Distinguished Graduate honors from the U.S. Air Force’s Air Command and Staff College.