Damon Smith, former acting general counsel for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), has joined the law firm Jenner & Block as a partner in its Washington, D.C. office. Smith will be a member of the Government Controversies and Public Policy Litigation and Real Estate Practices.

Smith’s government practice will leverage his extensive knowledge of housing and consumer regulations affecting the current housing finance environment; experience with leadership at the highest levels of the primary regulators in the field; and background in resolving controversies with the Executive Branch, the Legislative Branch, and private parties. His real estate practice will focus on multi-family housing finance and commercial transactions.  

At HUD, Smith served as the department’s acting general counsel from January to July 2014.  In that role, he set and implemented HUD’s litigation strategy, and led the reformation efforts for its multifamily loan closing documents as well as the negotiations to resolve mortgage-related litigation in the primary and secondary mortgage markets. Smith also held several other positions at HUD between 2009 and 2014, serving as HUD’s principal deputy general counsel, acting associate general counsel for insured housing and senior counsel/special assistant to the general counsel. 

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