Elizabeth C. Smith
Elizabeth (“Liz”) Smith, admitted to the bar in 1999, earned her Juris Doctor from IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, where she excelled as a member of the Moot Court Honor Society. With over twenty years of distinguished experience, Liz is a formidable transactional attorney, adept in employment law, employee benefits, corporate and commercial transactions, insurance, and real estate.
Liz brings specialized expertise in strategic corporate transactions, particularly in gaming law, tribal sovereignty and governance, Native American law, and regulatory compliance. She has provided critical counsel to C-suite executives and senior leaders on high-stakes transactions, corporate development, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and complex business negotiations. Currently, she serves as ERISA counsel for third-party administrators and advises insurance carriers on policy design issues, including drafting insurance policies and riders for fixed indemnity insurance.
Liz has successfully represented clients in multimillion-dollar transactions and played a pivotal role in launching new businesses. Her prior roles include serving as Chief Legal Officer and Chief Compliance Officer for LEVR Health LLC, and as General Counsel for AGS of North Carolina LLC and Catawba Ventures NC LLC. In these positions, she delivered comprehensive legal and strategic guidance on corporate matters, contracts, gaming licensure, tribal sovereignty, and contractual matters involving the Catawba Indian Nation.
A seasoned appellate advocate, Liz has argued constitutional and criminal law cases before the Illinois Supreme Court and the First and Second District Courts of Appeals. She is a licensed insurance producer in accident and health and has served as a DRLP in fifty states. Liz’s extensive experience and strategic acumen make her an invaluable asset to clients navigating complex legal and regulatory landscapes.
Position
- Senior Transactional Attorney
Areas Of Practice
- Employment Law
- Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
- Employee Benefit Plan Compliance and Operational Errors
- ERISA
- Mergers & Acquisitions, Dispositions
- Corporate Governance
- Joint Ventures
- Commercial Transactions
- Insurance Regulatory Compliance
- Commercial Contracts
- Private Equity
- Finance
- Gaming Law
- Native American Sovereignty
- Tribal Governance
- Technology Transactions
Admitted
- Illinois State Bar
- S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
Education
- IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, 1996 Juris Doctor
- Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois, 1996 Bachelor of Arts, French and Sociology
Licenses
- Licensed Insurance Producer, Accident and Health (2021)
Outside Counsel to:
- LEVR Health LLC
- Catawba Ventures NC LLC
- Gameplay LLC
- AGS of North Carolina LLC
- InternationalBenefit Administrators
- Gage ML, Inc.
- VantageProperty Management LLC
Languages
- Conversational French
Civic Involvement
Regional Commissioner and Executive Member of American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) (2018-2023)