Jade K. Smith | Associate

Ms. Smith joined the firm after several years of experience servicing the legal needs of businesses in a variety of different industries. Her legal career began in Corporate Transactions and Intellectual Property, where she developed skills in both transactional drafting and advocating for the rights of her clients. Over the years, she has served as outside general counsel for several organizations finding innovative ways to assess, prevent, resolve, and mitigate legal issues from negatively impacting her clients achieving their goals. Her diverse background and experiences allow her to approach situations not only from a legal perspective, but also from a business operations and management mindset grounded in a service approach of understanding, cultural competence, and empathy.

Prior to becoming a lawyer, Ms. Smith worked in the professional sports industry. She worked both internationally and domestically for leagues, teams, agencies, and nonprofit national governing bodies. She also has worked in Education (including several school districts), and the economic development of emerging markets and developing countries, including Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), India, and Barbados.

Ms. Smith earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. During law school, she was Editor-in-Chief of the Berkeley Journal of Entertainment and Sports Law, competed on the Alternative Dispute Resolution/Negotiations Team, and served as a Counselor in the Green-Collar Communities Clinic and the Worker’s Rights Clinic. Ms. Smith also earned her Master of Business Administration (MBA) from San Diego State University, and her Bachelors from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

In addition to representing a variety of different types of legal entities, Ms. Smith is very passionate about serving her community and helping people in need. She has served on the Economic Development Board for the City of El Cerrito, and she has helped advocate for the rights of foster care children and survivors of domestic violence. Currently, she serves on the Board of Advisors for Mind Treasures, a nonprofit focused on teaching financial literacy worldwide, and the Board of Directors for Classics 4 Kids, a nonprofit focused on inspiring children through music. Additionally, Ms. Smith spends time mentoring youth and working to ensure they have greater access to higher education.