Our People

Jim Smith graduated from Liberty University in 1991 with a bachelors degree in mathematics and a minor in economics. After a few years as a liaison to international banks and trust companies on behalf of a software firm in Malvern, Pennsylvania, Mr. Smith moved to Virginia where he earned his law degree from Regent University School of Law in 1998. He began his practice prosecuting crimes with the Berks County District Attorney’s Office in the Spring of 1999. Mr. Smith spent four years practicing law with a Reading-based law firm before opening his own practice in November 2005, which developed into the Smith Law Group, LLC, which for 15 years enjoyed consistent growth. Mr. Smith’s practice has included hundreds of evidentiary hearings and dozens of oral arguments on behalf of the Commonwealth and private clients before all levels of Pennsylvania Courts, including cases before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and the United States Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Smith has three grown children and one beautiful grandson and currently lives in Fleetwood with his wife, Jennifer. Mr. Smith joined Mr. Bukowski in 2020 to form Smith Bukowski, law firm, where he serves as managing partner and heads the transactional department.

Jeff Bukowski graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1987 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and earned his commission as a U.S. Navy officer through Penn’s NROTC program. Mr. Bukowski served on active duty in the U.S. Pacific fleet from 1987 until 1992, when he left active duty to pursue his law degree at the Dickinson School of Law. In 1995, after graduating from law school, Mr. Bukowski began practicing law at Stevens & Lee, one of the largest 200 law firms in the country, where he concentrated on commercial and intellectual property litigation. Mr. Bukowski became a partner/shareholder of Stevens & Lee in 2003 and demonstrated steadily increasing value to the firm—both in terms of client relationships and substantive client results. In 2020, Mr. Bukowski joined Mr. Smith to form Smith Bukowski, where he heads the litigation department.

Kourtney Bernecker is a Senior Associate Attorney with a practice focusing in business and corporate law including mergers and acquisitions, real estate acquisition and development, and nonprofit law. Kourtney is passionate about helping local businesses and has experience in M&A transactions for up to $60 million. In 2022 and 2023, she was named a "Rising Star" in Pennsylvania by Super Lawyers Magazine in Business/Corporate Law.

Kourtney graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in economics, political science and philosophy. She then went on to the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and graduated in 2017 with her JD and a Certificate in Health Law. During her time in law school, she served as President of the Student Bar Association and Executive Editor of the Pittsburgh Journal of Environmental and Public Health Law. Upon graduation, she was honored with the W. Edward Sell Award for Excellence in Business Organizations, several CALI Awards, Student Leadership Award, Pro Bono Service Award, and the Excellence in Health Law Award.

After graduating law school, Kourtney spent six years as an associate attorney at Kozloff Stoudt, P.C. in Wyomissing, PA with a practice in areas of business/corporate, commercial lending, mergers and acquisitions, real estate and nonprofit law. Prior to Smith Bukowski, Kourtney served as Associate Counsel for Fulton Bank, N.A. supporting the Commercial Banking team where she managed the documentation of commercial loans by outside counsel.

Kourtney is currently enrolled at Villanova University’s Charles Widger School of Law to obtain her Master of Laws (LLM) in Taxation.

In addition to her legal practice, Kourtney serves on the Board for SafeBerks, chairs the Berks County Bar Association’s Wills for Heroes Clinic and is the Financing and Programming Advisor for the Delta Phi Epsilon International Sorority at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. She lives in Sinking Spring with her husband, Shane, and their daughter.

Lewis Hall graduated from Penn State University in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He has a diverse and extensive professional background. While working with United Way, he advocated for legislation promoting employment for individuals with disabilities which was enacted in 2018. At Temple University Law School, he not only cofounded the Disability Advocacy Association but also served as Treasurer of the Public Interest Network, earning Dean’s List honors in both semesters in 2021. His internships with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and the Defense Logistics Agency provided him with experience prosecuting criminal organizations and litigating government supply contract disputes. Before joining Smith Bukowski, he served as a Judicial Fellow for The Honorable Stella M. Tsai and as a Law Judicial for The Honorable Robert P. Coleman. At Smith Bukowski, Lewis focuses on family law and general litigation matters.

Nathan represents clients in commercial litigation and other business disputes in state and federal court. His experience includes breach of contract claims, IP and trademark issues, class action litigation, property disputes, and insurance claims. Nathan also advises on a broad range of employment law matters and has extensive experience resolving discrimination and harassment claims. Prior to entering private practice, Nathan spent several years working in higher education as both a Title IX investigator and Title IX coordinator. Clients often rely on his experience to conduct external investigations into workplace misconduct.

In addition to his litigation practice, Nathan regularly advises churches and faith-based organizations throughout the country on issues related to sexual misconduct, youth protection policies, and investigations. Nathan's unique background allows him to navigate the intersection of legal requirements and church polity to provide tailored advice that respects the values and missions of these important organizations. His commitment to protecting the vulnerable and fostering safe environments has made him a trusted advisor in the faith-based community.

Thomas is an associate attorney who focuses his practice on civil litigation.  He has experience litigating commercial and corporate law issues, contract disputes and insurance claims.  As an advocate, Thomas is not only concerned with helping his clients win, but also helping them reach the best outcome for their situation.  He enjoys helping clients find creative and cost-effective ways to resolve their disputes.

Thomas earned his bachelor’s degree in humanities from Thomas Edison State University and his law degree from Rutgers Law School.  After graduating law school, Thomas spent the first three years of his career at a nationally-ranked firm in Wilmington, Delaware, practicing corporate litigation in the state and federal courts of Delaware, including the Delaware Court of Chancery.

Several of Thomas’s representative matters include:

• Representing an oil country tubular goods manufacturer against successor liability and fraudulent transfer claims brought by a former supplier
• Representing a talent management software company in a software-as-a-service (SaaS) contract dispute with a former customer
• Representing a large real estate development and management company in a lease vacancy dispute involving a former tenant
• Representing a biotechnology company in a purchase agreement and escrow dispute arising out of the acquisition of a subsidiary
• Representing an international pharmaceutical manufacturer in a breach of contract dispute with a third-party logistics provider

Outside of the office, Thomas enjoys spending time with his family, meaningful conversations with friends, reading a good book and trying new types of food.

Attorney David Sobotka is a lifelong resident of Berks County and has a distinguished, forty-year history of bringing effective legal services to those in need of a strong advocate in their darkest hour.

Dave earned his jurisprudence doctorate from Widener University Delaware School of Law and after having earned his undergraduate degree in Labor Relations from Penn State University. Penn State remains a big part of Dave’s life, second only to time spent with his family, which includes his wife, his 6 children, and 18 grandchildren, whether at home or at the Jersey Shore.

After graduating from Penn State, Dave worked for the City of Reading as its Assistant Director of Personnel until he enrolled as a student at Widener University Delaware School of Law. Upon earning his law degree in 1982, Dave returned to practice law in Berks County and in 2022, after forty years of practicing law in Berks County, Dave merged his practice with Smith Bukowski and currently leads the firm’s Family Law Division.

Whether you’re facing a divorce or an application for child support, a dispute with a township or borough (municipal law), a need to get your affairs in order through effective estate planning, or the walking through the legal process of administering the estate of a dear loved one, Dave is a proven legal advocate you can trust to get you through.