Elizabeth Smith recently completed her tenure as our fearless leader: Chair of the International Women in Law Committee, a position she held for the past two and a half years. While serving as Chair, she accomplished many things. She began this very blog, championed the role, strength, abilities and assets of LDS women attorneys throughout the world and headed up WIL presentations at the JRCLS Leadership and Annual Conferences.
Elizabeth has been an active member of the JRCLS for many years. She was the first woman who served on the Orange County Chapter board. While on that board, she headed up what became known as the Women's Outreach Committee (these wonderful efforts pre-dated WIL), which was responsible for canvassing and contacting LDS women attorneys in the Orange County area. The Committee was very successful. She recently received the Annual Orange County J. Reuben Clark Award for "outstanding contributions to the legal community". The award was well deserved.
Elizabeth received her B.A. and M.A. degrees in English from Brigham Young University and her J.D. from the University of Utah. Prior to law school, she worked as an editor at BYU Press and as an associate editor at the Ensign. She practiced law in Los Angles for 3 years before marrying E. Gary Smith. Gary and Elizabeth began their own law firm in 1988 in Orange County. They are the parents of 3 children. She is currently serving, for the second time, as a Stake Relief Society President.
Elizabeth, we will miss you. We will miss your kind and gentle leadership, your concern for individuals, your devotion to issues related to LDS women attorneys and your happy, positive attitude and example. You taught us all a great deal. Thank you. Good luck with your future plans. We know you will continue to accomplish great things!
I also want to express my appreciation and admiration for Elizabeth. She was such a wonderful leader of WIL and I wish her well in her future pursuits. We will miss you, Elizabeth!
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