Nicole Smith

Nicole K. Smith is a Managing Associate in Dentons’ San Francisco/Oakland office, and a member of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice with a focus on complex Commercial Litigation and White Collar and Government Investigations. Nicole specializes in representing global tech companies, financial institutions, and pharmaceutical companies in business litigation, consumer class actions, privacy and data security litigation, securities litigation, and investigations and enforcement proceedings before the Department of Justice, Securities and Exchange Commission, and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. She is experienced in all phases of litigation from pleadings through trial and appeal, and practices in both state and federal courts nationwide, in addition to arbitrations.

Prior to joining Dentons, Nicole worked as a litigation associate in the San Francisco office of a prominent global law firm. She previously served as a judicial extern for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Recognition

• The National Black Lawyers Top 40 Under 40, 2023 (California)

Activities and Affiliations

• Friends of the Children - SF, Advisory Circle
• San Francisco Ballet Young Patron’s Circle, Board Member
• Peers Envisioning and Engaging in Recovery Services, Board Member
• Alliance 4 Artificial Intelligence, Board Member
• California Innocence Project, Former Pro Bono Attorney

Areas of focus

• Arbitration
• Artificial intelligence
• Global Compliance and Investigations
• Educational Institutions
• Financial Institutions
• Litigation and Dispute Resolution
• Media and Entertainment
• Privacy and Cybersecurity
• Securities and Shareholder Litigation
• Technology

Education

University of Pennsylvania Law School, 2019, JD

University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business, 2019, MBA

University of Rochester, 2012, BA

Admissions and qualifications

California

US District Court for the Northern District of California