Charrisse N. Smith

Charrisse N. Smith Esq., is a native of Southern California. She attended the University of California, Santa Barbara where she double majored in Sociology and Black Studies. After completing her undergraduate studies, she dedicated one year of service to the AmeriCorps VISTA program. Through this program, Charrisse worked at an inner-city high school where she loved developing students academically and socially to prepare them for college and life in general.

Charrisse then continued her education at Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan. While there she excelled in the classroom, making The Dean’s List consistently. Additionally, she held leadership positions in the Student Bar Association and the Black Law Students Association, both locally and nationally. Most notably, Charrisse was the first student from her law school to serve on the Executive Board for the Midwestern Region of the Black Law Students Association.

Upon graduating from law school in 2007, Charrisse returned to California, passed the California Bar exam, and started her private practice in late 2008. For over a decade, Charrisse has helped countless individuals navigate through the legal system. She has handled countless Family Law cases, complex as well as uncontested cases dealing with family law issues, including spousal support; child custody; child support; property division; and domestic violence.

Throughout her legal career she has been praised for her professionalism, her passion for advocacy and her outstanding negotiation/mediation skills. Charrisse has strived to change the narrative about lawyers by exemplifying the utmost integrity in and out of the courtroom. Charrisse treats each case with the same level of care that she would use for her own legal matters. Today, Charrisse is licensed in both Nebraska and California. She enjoys mentoring young attorneys and those interested in a legal career.
When not working, Charrisse can be found relaxing on a beach, shopping or traveling the world with her husband Mark, whom she adores.