Jonathan Smith

Jonathan has served at the executive director of the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia since May 2002. Jonathan is responsible for program management and participates in litigation. Jonathan graduated in 1980 with a BA in philosophy from the University of Maine at Orono and received his Juris Doctor from Antioch School of Law in 1984. From 1984 to 1989, Jonathan was an associate at the Alexandria Virginia civil rights firm of Victor Glasberg & Associates. During his tenure at the law firm, he litigated cases a broad range of issues including, police brutality and misconduct, employment discrimination, discrimination in public accommodation, voting rights and free speech.

In 1989, Mr. Smith joined D.C. Prisoners' Legal Services Project as its first staff attorney and helped open the office. In 1991, he became the Project's executive director. While at the Project he served as counsel in individual and class action litigation. From 1998 until 2002, Jonathan was the Executive Director of the Public Justice Center in Baltimore, Maryland, where he worked on a range of issues including juvenile justice reform, workers' rights, the rights of language minorities and housing. During his tenure, he helped grow the Public Justice Center's docket and helped establish the Appellate Advocacy Project and the Latino Legal Assistance Project. Jonathan has received recognition for his work, including the Justice Potter Stewart Award from the Council for Court Excellence (2006); the Excellence in Chief Executive Leadership (EXCEL) Award from the Center for Non-Profit Advancement (2006); and the President’s Award from the Washington Council of Lawyers (2006).