Ms. Smith is a partner in the Vorys Columbus office and a member of the litigation group.  Her practice includes business, commercial, contract, employment, occupational disease, intentional torts and probate litigation.  She has had trial experience in jury and bench trials in state and federal court. Since returning to the firm after serving as Chief Counsel to the Ohio Attorney General from January 2003 to May 2005, she has also engaged in election law issues, charter school and education issues, consumer sales practices investigations and government relations. 

Career highlights include:

• Serving as Chief Counsel to Ohio Attorney General James Petro in 2003 and being involved in the daily strategy, policy decision making and oversight of 100+ lawyers and 13,000 cases on a variety of matters involving the State of Ohio, its agencies and universities, including, issues relating to unions, taxation, transportation, workers' compensation, the state budget, state and national elections, open records and corporate governance
• Serving as counsel for the State of Ohio pension funds, that were lead plaintiffs in various securities class actions against Global Crossing, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and also opt-out plaintiffs in securities litigation against Worldcom, Enron and Pilgrim Baxter
• Honing litigation skills, as well as problem solving, conflict resolution and human resource skills while working in the Attorney General’s office

Ms. Smith is a member of the American Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association, the Ohio State Bar Association, the Columbus Bar Association, and the Women Lawyers of Franklin County.

Ms. Smith spoke at the Ohio Attorney General’s Trial Advocacy Program in 2005 and 2006 on various aspects of trial presentation.

Ms. Smith received her J.D. from The Ohio State University College of Law and her B.A. magna cum laude from Heidelberg College.  She attended McGill University’s Intensive French Program in 1979.

Publications

• Tiffany S. Cobb & Elizabeth T. Smith, “Understand the Law when Contracting with the State,” Business First, April 14, 2006

Professional and Community Activities

• Franklin County Republican Central Committee, Judicial Screening Committee, Chair, 2001-present
• C.U.R.E., Development Board, 2005-present
• Heidelberg College Board of Trustees, Trusteeship Committee, Chair, 2004-2006; Secretary, 2006-present
• Ohio Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers, Board of Directors, 2004-present
• Federal Bar Association, Vice-President, 2002-2003; President 2003-2004
• Alternative Education Council, Ohio Attorney General designee, 2003-2005
• Judicial Screening Committee for Ohio Supreme Court for the Ohio Republican Party, 2004
• Ohio State Bar Association, President, 2003-2004; Federal Court and Practice Committee, Chair, 1997-1999
• Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority, Board of Commissioners, Vice-Chair, 2001-2002
• ARC Industries, President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer during term of service from 1995-2002
• Franklin County Republican Judicial Salute Committees, Vice-Chair, 1993-1994; Chair, 1995

Honors and Awards

• Recognition for pro bono work as Magistrate for the City of Gahanna, 1993-1995
• Columbus’s Outstanding “40 Under 40,” 1997
• Fellow of the Columbus Bar Foundation since 1994