Cameron Smith (’07) observes public policy across the country and explores how it could apply to the state of Alabama.
He is a Senior Fellow and State Programs Director for the R Street Institute, a conservative Washington D.C.-based think tank, where he evaluates public policy, including technology, juvenile justice and energy.
Smith has been in the position for about a year. “I get to move around the country and see areas for improvement but also best practices,” he said. “I’m a Federalist who truly believes that states are laboratories of democracies, and that we can learn from that.”
Public policy changes can be difficult to sell in a state that is steeped in pride and tradition. Smith spends most of his time educating others about their options and trying to inform the discussion on everything from the state’s budget to school choice.
Before joining R Street, Smith had a number of posts in both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate. He was legislative counsel for Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and he served as counsel to Rep. Geoff Davis, R-Ky., where his primary legislative project was the REINS Act. The legislation, which has passed the House several times, would give Congress more oversight on spending, make the executive branch more accountable to the legislative branch and possibly save money.
“The current Congress needs to have the authority for writing law, not a Congress from 30 or 40 years ago,” he said.
Smith’s work on the REINS Act is a prime example of his legal intellect, said David Lasseter (‘05), a federal lobbyist who works in government relations for United Technologies Corporation, an American aircraft manufacturer.
“He has a strong legal mind but also a strong political orientation, which allows him to understand the legal implications of policy and how to make sure they are the ones advocated for.”
Cindy Hayden (’02), director of government affairs for Altria, a tobacco and wine company, has known Smith for about 10 years. She first met him when he interviewed to be her law clerk for the Senate Judiciary Committee.
“He has remarkable intellect, a sense of humor, a good attitude and is a hard worker,” she said. “After that first year with him, I knew those characteristics would ensure his continued success. He can analyze a complicated case or piece of legislation quickly and then distill it down to the need-to-know information that connects it to people in the real world.”
Smith will work with anybody who will work with him on the issues. “We’re a pragmatic group that really wants real solutions,” he said. “We don’t just want to talk about ideas in a vacuum.”
Writing a regular column for Al.com keeps those ideas flowing and allows him to have wide conversations about the issues that affect the state. It’s easy for those who work in public policy to develop a closed perspective on the issues they handle, he said. Writing a column exposes him to others’ ideas and allows readers to respond to his ideas.
“For me as a lawyer, sometimes I get wrapped up in law and public policy and focused on those issues, and it’s helpful as a writer to know that most people care about the human condition,” he said. “This isn’t simply a clinical exercise about winning the argument. Here’s an opportunity to move us forward, to help us have a better future.”
His most successful column was about his brother’s suicide, and he knows exactly why it’s the one readers remember.
“It lets them see my heart and who I am,” he said. “It’s an experience that shaped my life. Being able to reach people as human beings is absolutely critical if we want to have a better tomorrow for Alabama.”
It was in those early days of his career at UA Law that helped shape Smith’s career and his perspective. He vividly remembers Professor Bryan Fair’s Race, Racism and Law and Gender and Law courses. Both showed him the importance of looking at all perspectives and that those perspectives are held in good faith and are meaningful. Judge Joseph Colquitt, he said, taught him to appreciate the complexity of law.
“He definitely had a real impact on me in terms of my approach to criminal law, helping me understand it’s not so simple,” he said. “It’s not always just a matter of checking the boxes and someone’s guilty.”
Alabama Law also provided Smith with a solid network of professionals. Many of his classmates remain in his professional circle. While they may not have the same perspective, they have the same bond with the law school and the profession.
“It’s not always what you do, it’s who you do it with,” he said.