DeMaurice Smith
Encyclopedia
DeMaurice "D" Smith is the Executive Director of the National Football League Players' Association
(NFLPA). Smith was elected unanimously by a board of active player representatives on March 16, 2009.
and Latham & Watkins
. In private practice, he represented Fortune 500 companies in criminal and complex civil cases, compliance matters, and internal investigations. He has argued numerous cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.
Smith previously served as Counsel to then-Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder in the U.S. Department of Justice before entering private practice. His duties revolved around national security issues, congressional relations, and DOJ budget and finance allocation.
He served in the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia for ten years where he held senior positions in the Violent Crime and Transnational and Major Crime Sections. He prosecuted more than 80 jury trials and handled some of the most significant homicide, narcotics and white collar investigations in the history of that office.
Smith is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, has served on the Board of Governors of the D.C. Bar Association, and is the former president of the Assistant United States Attorney’s Association. He is also a member of the Board of Advisors for the Office for Access and Advancement for Public Black Universities of the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities. He is a recipient of the United States Attorney Generals Award, the John Evans Trial Advocacy Award from the United States Attorney’s Association, and the 2010 Cedarville College Alumnus of the Year Award. He was also honored as a recipient of the Keeper of the Dream Award by the National Action Network and named one of the Top Ten Most Influential Persons by the Sports Business Journal. He was inducted into the Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges’ Hall of Excellence in 2010, and was the 2011 Commencement Speaker at the University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland.
and Trace Armstrong
, and sports attorney David Cornwell, who re-emerged as a candidate after receiving the necessary written support of three player reps..
National Football League Players' Association
The National Football League Players Association, or NFLPA, is the labor organization for the professional football players in the National Football League . It has been at times a professional association, as well as a labor union...
(NFLPA). Smith was elected unanimously by a board of active player representatives on March 16, 2009.
Career
Prior to his election, he was a trial lawyer and litigation partner in the Washington, DC offices of law firms Patton BoggsPatton Boggs
Patton Boggs is a full service law firm and lobbyist headquartered in Washington, D.C. It has more than 600 lawyers and professionals in nine locations in the United States and the Middle East. Patton Boggs specializes in , , , , international and trade law with over 200 international clients from...
and Latham & Watkins
Latham & Watkins
Latham & Watkins LLP is a global law firm, one of the largest in the world. Latham currently employs approximately 2,000 attorneys in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The firm was started in Los Angeles in 1934 and has extensive Californian roots, but its largest office is now...
. In private practice, he represented Fortune 500 companies in criminal and complex civil cases, compliance matters, and internal investigations. He has argued numerous cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.
Smith previously served as Counsel to then-Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder in the U.S. Department of Justice before entering private practice. His duties revolved around national security issues, congressional relations, and DOJ budget and finance allocation.
He served in the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia for ten years where he held senior positions in the Violent Crime and Transnational and Major Crime Sections. He prosecuted more than 80 jury trials and handled some of the most significant homicide, narcotics and white collar investigations in the history of that office.
Smith is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, has served on the Board of Governors of the D.C. Bar Association, and is the former president of the Assistant United States Attorney’s Association. He is also a member of the Board of Advisors for the Office for Access and Advancement for Public Black Universities of the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities. He is a recipient of the United States Attorney Generals Award, the John Evans Trial Advocacy Award from the United States Attorney’s Association, and the 2010 Cedarville College Alumnus of the Year Award. He was also honored as a recipient of the Keeper of the Dream Award by the National Action Network and named one of the Top Ten Most Influential Persons by the Sports Business Journal. He was inducted into the Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges’ Hall of Excellence in 2010, and was the 2011 Commencement Speaker at the University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland.
NFLPA
Smith was elected on the first ballot by the 32 representatives -- one for each NFL team. Despite his lack of familiarity with NFL players, he beat out three strong contenders: former NFLPA presidents Troy VincentTroy Vincent
Troy Darnell Vincent is a former Defensive Back for the Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills and Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dolphins with the 7th overall pick in the 1992 NFL Draft. He played college football at Wisconsin.Mr...
and Trace Armstrong
Trace Armstrong
Raymond Lester "Trace" Armstrong, III is a former American college and professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League for fifteen seasons from the late 1980s to the early 2000s...
, and sports attorney David Cornwell, who re-emerged as a candidate after receiving the necessary written support of three player reps..