About

At Smith Giles, PLLC Attorneys at Law, we are proud to be a locally owned Burlington law firm with deep community roots and a long-standing commitment to defending the rights of individuals and families across North Carolina. Founded in 1999, our practice brings together over 25 years of experience, a team of veteran attorneys, and a client-first approach that prioritizes accessibility, compassion, and relentless advocacy.

Our firm provides experienced representation in both State Criminal Defense and Federal Criminal Defense, ensuring clients receive strong legal advocacy at every level of the justice system. In State Court, we represent clients in both District Court and Superior Court, handling a wide range of criminal matters with skill and dedication. We also provide defense in Federal Court, where cases often require a higher level of specialized experience and certification.

A key distinction of our firm is that Todd Smith is Federal Certified, a significant credential held by only approximately 1 out of 170 attorneys in the state of North Carolina. This certification reflects his advanced qualifications to represent clients in federal criminal matters and underscores our firm’s ability to handle complex cases in both state and federal courts.

Our legal team is composed of seasoned professionals with diverse backgrounds and deep ties to the region. Attorney Ralph M. Hill, Jr. brings an accomplished academic foundation and years of courtroom experience. Attorney Andrew P. Fogarty pairs his legal skill with a grounded, personable approach informed by his passion for the outdoors. Todd Allen Smith, a long-practicing attorney with more than two decades in the field, contributes extensive litigation experience. Meanwhile, Robert C. “Bob” Giles, II, a lifelong Alamance County resident, offers a local’s perspective and a strong commitment to serving his community.

Together, our attorneys share a unified mission: to fight for you—every step of the way, whether you’re facing a criminal charge, navigating an injury claim, or dealing with a complex legal challenge. Our firm structure ensures clients always receive responsive, personalized attention rooted in trust, integrity, and proven results.

Contact Smith Giles, PLLC Attorneys at Law today to speak with an experienced attorney who will fight for your rights, protect your future, and put your needs first—from day one.

Attorney Todd Allen Smith

Todd has laid down strong roots in the Burlington, North Carolina area. His father was a local pharmacist, his mother a jeweler, his stepfather worked at Burlington Industries as a computer systems analyst, and his stepmother was a substitute teacher in the Burlington City School system.

He attended school at Grove Park Elementary School, Hillcrest Elementary School, and Turrentine Middle School before graduating from Williams High School. After high school, he graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor’s Degree, studying Political Science, and then graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 1999. During this period of time, he worked as a jeweler, a welder, an insurance underwriter, and a carpenter while raising three children who have made him extremely proud. Two of those young men are college graduates, and one is currently enrolled in college. One is a veteran of the United States Air Force, and one is currently serving in the United States Army. Todd is married to Stacey Rubain, who is a premier lawyer who practices primarily in the Forsyth County area.

After working with a Federal Bankruptcy Judge in Charlotte, North Carolina, for one year, Todd started his own law office in Graham, which has been operating for over twenty years. In 2019, he merged his office with Robert Giles to become Smith Giles PLLC. Todd has handled Bankruptcy, Smith Giles, Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, Family Law, and General Civil Litigation cases, but began focusing on Criminal law within the first few years of his practice. Since that time, Todd has become one of the most experienced criminal attorneys in the region. He has handled tens of thousands of criminal cases in the North Carolina State Courts, including every type of case from Speeding Tickets to First Degree Murder cases. He has represented over thirty clients who have been charged with first-degree murder. He has tried approximately 100 jury trials before different courts, including felony assault cases, drug cases, firearms cases, fraud cases, personal injury cases, murder cases, and rape cases.

In addition, Todd regularly handles Federal Criminal matters. He is the only person whose primary office is in Alamance County who regularly represents people in Federal Court. He has been admitted to practice law in all of the United States District Courts in North Carolina – the Eastern District (since 2008), the Middle District (since 2000), and the Western District (since 1999). He has been certified as a specialist in North Carolina Criminal Law by the State Bar since 2010 and has been certified as a specialist in Federal Criminal Law by the State Bar since 2015. As of 2019, he was one of 63 attorneys who were bar-certified specialists in both of these fields in the entire state.

Todd regularly handles appeals in both the North Carolina and Federal Courts. He has been admitted to the North Carolina Court of Appeals and the North Carolina State Supreme Court since 1999. He has been admitted to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals since 2008 and the United States Supreme Court since 2008.

Todd’s philosophy regarding practicing law is “The best defense is a good offense.” His favorite quote is attributed to Winston Churchill during World War Two when he stated, “We will defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills, we shall never surrender” because it encompasses his feeling about what it means to fight for what is yours at all costs – including your liberty.

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