Black History Month Spotlight | Alexis H. Smith

Alexis H. Smith is the executive director of the New Haven Legal Assistance Association (NHLAA), a nonprofit law firm whose mission is to provide high quality legal assistance to individuals and families who cannot obtain a lawyer. Prior to holding this position, she served as NHLAA’s deputy director and previously was a staff attorney at Greater Hartford Legal Aid.

In addition to leading NHLAA, Attorney Smith has served in numerous leadership roles for the Connecticut Bar Association, including as secretary of the CBA Executive Committee; co-chair of the Policing Task Force; and as a member of the association’s house of delegates, CBA Awards Committee, and the Pandemic Recovery and the Future of Court Technology Task Force. She has also served as president of the George W. Crawford Black Bar Association.

Attorney Smith has earned awards from the West Haven Black Coalition, Junior achievement of Southwest New England, New Haven Probate Court, and Gateway Community College Foundation. She was also named to Connecticut Magazine’s “40 under 40” list in 2015 as well as to the Connecticut Law Tribune’s list of “New Leaders in the Law” in 2012.

Being committed to community service, Attorney Smith serves on the boards of several local non-profit organizations. She is currently the co-chair of the Common Ground High School Board of Directors and is vice-chair of the New Alliance Foundation. She also sits on the boards of Neighborhood Music School, LEAP, Horizons at Foote, Elm City Internationals, and the New Haven YMCA. She and her husband live in Hamden and spend time keeping up with their three incredibly active children.