Smith Anderson is Committed to Civic Engagement & Leadership
For more than 100 years, Smith Anderson has proudly helped clients succeed and navigate the complexities of the law. One of the largest business and litigation law firms in North Carolina, Smith Anderson serves clients located in 23 countries and 43 states. The firm is regularly recognized for its talented team of lawyers and was named one of the best law firms for client service in the country for the fifth year in a row by the BTI Client Service A-Team 2020.
What is the key to this century-long tradition of service? Smith Anderson’s commitment to civic engagement and leadership.
Smith Anderson encourages its attorneys to become deeply embedded in the civic infrastructure of their local communities. The firm has long believed its team is most effective when giving back to the communities they serve. Currently, it has lawyers serving as Chairs of the Board of Trustees of UNC-Chapel Hill and Wake Forest University. Many of the firm’s lawyers are also actively engaged in dozens of non-profits in the Triangle, and its team is proud to support more than 75 not-for-profits and associations through sponsorships and volunteer time. Some of those organizations can be found here.
To embed service into the firm’s culture, Smith Anderson has built leadership courses and established incentive programs to encourage its employees to give back. The firm worked with Wake Forest University’s Executive Education Program in the School of Business and the Wake Forest Institute on Character and Leadership to develop a custom program tailored specifically to leadership and professionalism in the law. The three-day program was open to each of the firm’s associates and offered training on the purpose, virtues, pressures and practices of leadership, as well as building high-performance teams, managing conflict, giving and receiving feedback, motivating others, and making effective decisions.
Smith Anderson also implemented a bonus award for associates who complete a certain number of hours of non-billable work, including service to the profession and non-profits. This, in addition to their current service commitments.
For more about Smith Anderson’s team and the work they do for North Carolina, please visit the firm’s website here.
Behind each business in North Carolina are the ideas, partnerships and people that fuel our state’s success. Behind each business is a story and a vision for the future. As the voice for business, the NC Chamber is committed to telling these stories and highlighting the organizations and people that keep our state moving forward. Behind the Business is a series of profiles featuring NC Chamber Cornerstone members doing great work in North Carolina. Interested in being featured? Contact communications@ncchamber.com.