B.A. Art History, Stanford University, with Distinction

J.D. University of California, Davis, Order of the Coif

Joined firm: 2006

Practice Areas: Employment Law, Business Law, and Litigation.

Cynthia P. Smith concentrates her practice on employment and business law, advising employers and employees regarding employment, business and contractual issues and representing them in related litigation. She also provides pro bono legal counseling to a number of Napa County nonprofit organizations.

Ms. Smith provides employers with a full range of employment advice, including employment agreements, severance agreements, employee handbooks, executive compensation, disciplinary and termination issues, anti-harassment training, wage and hour issues and consulting agreements. She advises businesses regarding entity selection and formation, royalty agreements, asset purchase agreements, shareholder agreements, stock purchase agreements and protection of intellectual property. She has represented clients in state and federal court, as well as in private arbitration, in breach of contract, wrongful termination, retaliation, wage and hour, trademark infringement, harassment, discrimination and unfair competition actions.

Ms. Smith received her B.A. in Art History, with distinction, from Stanford University, and her J.D. from the University of California at Davis, where she earned membership in the Order of the Coif. At Davis, Ms. Smith received the Sacramento County Bar Association Business Law Section Scholarship and the Deborah J. Frick Memorial Scholarship.

Active in the community, Ms. Smith is a Member of the St. Helena Unified School District Board of Trustees and a former Board Member of St. Helena Skatepark, Inc. and Acorn Soupe. She continues to volunteer with the St. Helena Public Schools Foundation and has coached NYSL soccer for four years. She lives in St. Helena with her husband and two children.