About Corcoran Smith Law

Corcoran Smith Law is a veteran founded and led California litigation firm. Our trial-experienced attorneys fight for heirs and beneficiaries in contested wills, trust and estate litigation, fiduciary misconduct, and probate disputes statewide. Alongside that core courtroom work, the firm prepares wills, trusts, and powers of attorney, handles real estate transactions, advocates for veterans in VA disability claims, and serves California companies as outside general counsel.

The firm has offices in San Francisco and Sacramento and represents clients across California. It was founded by Mark C. Smith, a UC Berkeley Law graduate, former federal judicial clerk, and U.S. Army combat veteran. Attorney Nicholas Jacobs joined after eighteen years in law enforcement and crisis response. Attorney Seth Steward, a George Washington University Law and Harvard Kennedy School graduate and former San Francisco prosecutor with more than 30 jury trials, brings trial-tested litigation experience to the firm. The attorney who takes a case is the one who works it.

“Seeing the elephant” is a historic idiom rooted in military lore, evoking the profound challenges faced by soldiers. Popularized during the American Civil War, the phrase symbolizes a soldier’s firsthand encounter with the harsh realities of combat: a transformative experience that often brought growth through hardship.

Some historians trace the phrase back to tales of Alexander the Great’s encounters with war elephants. The sight of these formidable creatures on the battlefield would have been both awe-inspiring and terrifying, much like the later use of the phrase to describe facing life’s most daunting challenges.

Today, “seeing the elephant” endures as a symbol of the resilience required to confront adversity: the courage to face overwhelming odds and the personal transformation that comes from persevering through life’s hardest trials. That’s the standard our clients deserve, and the one we hold ourselves to.