Terence P. Smith

With 25 years handling labor and employment cases, Terence leverages his past experience of private practice advocacy and client-side decision-making experience to representing employers. He understands the pressures facing business leaders, managers, and in-house counsel alike. He knows that legal advice must work in practice—not just in theory—and how litigation, bargaining, and employee relations play out in real time. That perspective enables him to anticipate client concerns, cut through complexity, and deliver solutions that align with the law and the employer’s legitimate goals. The result: representation that is legally sound, practical, and attuned to the clarity and peace of mind employers want.

For more than a decade in private practice, Terence defended employers in cases involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage and hour disputes, and traditional labor matters including union organizing campaigns, collective bargaining, and unfair labor practice litigation. This included representation of clients nationwide across diverse industries, including higher education, manufacturing, construction, and food service, before appellate, and federal courts as well as state agencies, mediators, and arbitrators. He also trained management teams on labor and employment best practices, conducted employee classification and compensation audits, provided counsel on handbooks and agreements, and led workplace investigations

Terence then stepped into the client’s role for another decade, serving as the sole representative for a college’s traditional labor relations. There, he managed all facets of the college’s relationship with multiple unions—day-to-day liaising and contract administration, advising management, handling grievances, and negotiating collective bargaining agreements. When labor litigation ensued, Terence defended the college as sole counsel for arbitrations and National Labor Relations Board litigation.