Erica Smith is the Associate Dean of Students at UDC Law where she oversees the development, implementation and maintenance of comprehensive student programming related to student retention, career and professional development, professional and health related counseling and character and fitness for bar admission for students in the Day and Evening Programs. Dean Smith maintains regular communication with all matriculating students, routinely surveying and evaluating the quality and breadth of services essential to retention and successful matriculation.

Dean Smith works with appropriate faculty and senior administrative staff each year to coordinate and present New Student Orientation and plans and coordinates the Law School’s Hooding Ceremony. In addition, Dean Smith serves as the primary liaison with the University’s Accessibility Resource Center to ensure that reasonable accommodations are provided to qualified students as mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Dean Smith also supervises the Director and Assistant Director of the Career and Professional Development Office and oversees all programming out of that office.

Prior to joining UDC Law, Dean Smith held numerous positions at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) including Assistant Clinical Professor for University Honors, Associate Director of College Park Scholars’ Justice and Legal Thought Program, Lecturer for the School of Public Policy, Lecturer for the Department of English, Lecturer for the Office of Extended Studies and Facilitator for the Words of Engagement Intergroup Dialogue Program.

Prior to joining UMD, Dean Smith was the Assistant Director of J.D. Admissions at Georgetown University Law Center where she assisted in the development and implementation of programs for student outreach, recruitment and admissions.  Dean Smith managed the day-to-day operations of the Alumni Admissions Interview Program which comprised 800+ volunteer alumni conducting more than 1,025 interviews of first-year J.D. applicants annually in 36 states and 15 countries.

A member of the District of Columbia Bar and the State Bar of California, Dean Smith has practiced law as an associate in the business trial practice group of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP in Los Angeles, CA and as a litigation associate at Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman & Dicker LLP in Washington, D.C.

Education

• LL.M. in Trial Advocacy, Temple University, Beasley School of Law
• J.D., University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
• B.A., Hood College (Honors Program)