Milan Smith
American federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Milan Dale Smith Jr. (born 1942) is an American attorney and jurist serving as a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Smith's brother, Gordon H. Smith, was a Republican U.S. Senator from 1997 to 2009. Milan Smith is neither a Republican nor a Democrat, and he considers himself to be a political independent. Smith is married to Kathleen Denise Crane, a trust and estates attorney.
Early life and education
Smith was born in Pendleton, Oregon. He is the son of Milan D. Smith, Sr., who served as chief of staff of the Department of Agriculture under Secretary Ezra Taft Benson. Smith received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brigham Young University in 1966. Smith attended the University of Chicago Law School on a full-tuition scholarship, graduating in 1969 with a J.D. degree.
Career
After law school, Smith became an associate attorney at the Los Angeles firm of O'Melveny & Myers.
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