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Ronald C. Smith

Member , Indianapolis IN

317.822.6787

Ronald C. Smith

Member , Indianapolis IN

Ron is a Member of Stoll Keenon Ogden’s Indianapolis office and joined the firm in 2018. He is Chair of the Auto Dealer Services practice and comes to the firm with decades of experience representing dealerships throughout the Midwest, Southeast, and Northeast. He also lends his significant expertise to SKO’s Business Services and Labor, Employment & Employee Benefits practice groups.

In his chair role at SKO, Ron works with hundreds of franchised auto, truck, farm implement, and power sports dealers. His representation extends to non-dealer clients, including closely held corporations in manufacturing and service providers.

Ron is the lead outside counsel for the Automobile Dealers Association of Indiana, Kentucky Automobile Dealers Association, and Indianapolis Auto Trade Association, and he has represented the Equipment Dealers Association and United Equipment Dealers Association and their members in various legal matters.

An attorney who is committed to sharing his knowledge with others in his profession, and staying on top of auto industry trends, Ron served on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Dealer Counsel for six years and completed his service in 2020. During his tenure, Ron served on several of the board’s subcommittees.

Auto Dealer Services: Ron provides counsel to franchised dealers of almost every type, in virtually every aspect of their business. He advises on franchise law enforcement, facility issues, market area assignments, performance standards, franchise termination, warranty and incentive audits, and manufacturer disputes.

Regulatory and licensing matters are another area where Ron offers his services to clients. He routinely advocates on behalf of dealers before federal and state agencies. He also assists with employment and wage matters, vendor agreements, indirect lending relationships, inventory working capital and real estate financing, litigation, and succession and estate planning.

Business Services: Ron represents franchised motor vehicle dealers in a broad spectrum of transactional matters, particularly the buying and selling of dealerships.

Labor, Employment & Employee Benefits: For companies across a wide range of industries, Ron provides consultation on every phase of employment, from contract and service agreements to union avoidance. He has a thorough understanding of employment laws, such as the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and EEOC-established rules, and provides strategies tailored to clients’ needs.

Education

Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, 1968, J.D.

Indiana University, 1965, B.S. in Accounting and Business Administration

Experience

Admitted In

  • Indiana

  • North Carolina

  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit

  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana

  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana

  • Kentucky

Professional & Community Activities

  • Indiana State Bar Association

  • Kentucky Bar Association

  • America Bar Association

  • National Association of Dealer Counsel, Board of Directors, 2018-2020

Accolades

  • AV® Preeminentâ„¢ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®

Seminars

  • For more than 40 years, Mr. Smith has lectured and conducted programs for numerous trade
    associations and trade groups and has written extensively in trade publications. In addition,
    he has lectured and presented seminars for numerous business and trade groups on contract
    law, estate planning, probate and transactional matters.

Contact Ron Today

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