Mary-Kate Smith

Mary-Kate Smith is a 2004 graduate of the University of Connecticut School of Law (with Honors).  She received her master’s degree in philosophy from the University of Colorado at Boulder (2001) and her bachelor’s degree from the George Washington University (Cum Laude, 1998).  During law school, she advocated for civil liberties at the Office of the Community Lawyer in Winsted, CT and received recognition for her service in the Asylum and Human Rights clinic representing refugees seeking political asylum in the United States.  After law school, Ms. Smith served as law clerk to the Honorable Thomas A. Bishop of the Connecticut Appellate Court.  

Ms. Smith practices in the areas of employment law, personal injury, and civil rights. She represents individuals in all aspects of employment litigation before state and federal courts and administrative agencies including claims of wrongful discharge, discrimination, harassment, defamation, breach of contract and fiduciary duty, wage and hour violations, and other employment-related matters.  She similarly handles retaliation cases involving protected First Amendment speech or whistleblowing activity. Attorney Smith regularly represents clients in employment related tort claims such as intentional infliction of emotional distress, defamation, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and invasion of privacy.  She also advises clients with respect to their employment, severance, termination, and non-competition agreements.  Ms. Smith is admitted to practice in the states of Connecticut and New York and in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut.  

Before joining the Law of Office of Lewis Chimes LLc, Ms. Smith was a civil litigator at a well-established Stamford based firm, where for over ten years she litigated in a variety of areas including employment-related matters, land use appeals, business and contract disputes, personal injury claims, civil rights matters, and commercial and residential leases.

Ms. Smith is a member of the National Employment Lawyers Association, the Connecticut Employment Lawyers Association, the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association, the Connecticut Bar Association, and the Fairfield County Bar Association.  Ms. Smith serves as co-chair of the Employment Law Committee of the Fairfield County Bar Association, the secretary for the CTLA  Women’s Caucus, and serves on the board for the Women’s Mentoring Network, a career and personal advancement non-profit organization that helps to empower women in need.  Ms. Smith has been selected to the Connecticut "Rising Star" list (published in New England Super Lawyers Magazine and Connecticut Magazine) since 2013.