Maura Smith relocated from Connecticut to Knoxville, Tennessee in 2020 where she opened an office. She also maintains an office in New York City, and continues to serve her existing clients who are located in various states, including CT, NY, FL, TX and NC. Maura’s areas of focus include commercial, small business and family law matters, and serves as an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association, on its national roster of commercial and consumer arbitrators.
Prior to forming her own firm in 2016, she served as general counsel of several large companies, including Delhaize Group (now AholdDelhaize), PepsiCo, International Paper, Owens Corning, and GE Plastics. From 2009 to 2012, she served as a Commissioner on the Tennessee Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Commission and continues to be recognized by the Tennessee Supreme Court as an Attorney for Justice for her pro bono service. Before becoming a general counsel, she was a partner in the international law firm of Baker & McKenzie. She is admitted to practice law in four states, Florida (1982), Tennessee (2007), New York (2013) and Connecticut (2016).
Her extensive legal background, both as a general counsel, and in private practice, makes her well suited to resolve complaints as a mediator or arbitrator in the following areas:
- Corporate governance & securities
- Executive compensation & termination
- Compliance & risk management
- Complex commercial contracts
- Licensing, supply agreements and intellectual property
- Mergers, acquisitions, and sales of businesses
- Product Liability
- Personal Injury
- Employment
Alternative Dispute Resolution Experience
As general counsel for several large public companies, many disputes were resolved through arbitration and/or mediation. Some disputants were large public companies, and the amounts in controversy often exceeded $100 million.
Types of matters ranged from breach of contract, and patent infringement, environmental issues and disputes related to large transactions and joint ventures. In private practice, Maura represented clients in complex commercial and banking matters, as well as in partnership disputes resolved through mediation.
Education
- University of Miami School of Law, Juris Doctor (J.D.), with honors, John M. Olin Fellow in Law and Economics; 1982
- University of Oxford, M.Phil., Economics, 1979, Rhodes Scholar
- Vassar College, Bachelor’s Degree, Economics, 1977, highest honors and departmental distinction, Phi Beta Kappa Licenses &
Certifications
- Licensed to practice law in States of New York, Connecticut, Tennessee and Florida and the Supreme Court of the United States