Professor Monte Smith graduated from The Ohio State University twice, earning a bachelor's degree in English and a J.D.  He practiced with a large law firm and then served as a career law clerk to United States District Judge Sandra Beckwith for 14 years before returning to the law school at Ohio State as Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs.  He has taught legal writing and related topics for many years and is co-author of a first-year legal writing textbook with Professor Mary Beth Beazley.