Smith Anderson
Smith Anderson is a full-service business and litigation law firm headquartered in Raleigh, NC, serving regional, national, and global enterprises across corporate, M&A, litigation, IP, employment, real estate, and regulatory matters with 170+ attorneys.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1912
- HeadquartersRaleigh, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Smith Anderson does
Smith Anderson, legally Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan, LLP, is a privately held, full-service business and litigation law firm founded in 1912 and headquartered at 150 Fayetteville Street, Suite 2800 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The firm delivers legal services across ten core practice areas: Corporate & Transactional Law, Debt Finance, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Employment/Labor/Human Resources, Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation, Private Client Services, Real Estate Development, Regulatory & Public Policy, and an integrated Workplace Law offering. Sub-practices span approximately 50 specialized areas, including patent litigation, technology transactions, mergers and acquisitions, financial institutions, higher education, health care law, mass tort, and toxic torts. The firm describes its Workforce Law group as an integrated hub combining employment, labor, HR, benefits, OSHA, and non-compete expertise.
The firm serves regional, national, and multinational enterprises, with prominent representations including First Citizens Bank (its merger with CIT Group forming the 19th largest U.S. bank, and acquisition of Silicon Valley Bridge Bank), Cree (sale of LED business to SMART Global Holdings for up to $300 million), and General Parts International ($2.04 billion merger with Advance Auto Parts). Additional client segments include closely-held and family-owned businesses, banking and financial institutions, health care providers, technology and AI-adjacent companies, and high-net-worth individuals requiring private client services. Smith Anderson reports clients in 40 countries and maintains an annual thought-leadership calendar including the 31st Annual Employment Law Update.
The business model is professional services revenue: fees are negotiated individually per matter across hourly, fixed-fee, or contingency arrangements depending on practice area and client. The firm is structured as a North Carolina limited liability partnership, is independently owned by its partners, and has no parent company or institutional investor. Headcount has expanded from 160 attorneys (as of December 31, 2022) to over 170 currently, with nearly half of attorneys recruited laterally from national and international firms. The firm was ranked 271st on Law360 400 and 280th on NLJ 500 in 2023, and it has invested substantially in profile building through Chambers USA (49 attorneys recognized, 7 top-tier practice areas in 2025), Best Law Firms (48 practice areas, 41 Tier 1 in 2025), BTI Client Service A-Team, and BTI Most Innovative Law Firms. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.
Smith Anderson firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Smith Anderson
- Legal name
- Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan, LLP
- Website
- https://smithlaw.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1912
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Smith Anderson is a full-service business and litigation law firm headquartered in Raleigh, NC, serving regional, national, and global enterprises across corporate, M&A, litigation, IP, employment, real estate, and regulatory matters with 170+ attorneys.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Smith Anderson industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Business & Litigation Legal Services
- NAICS
- Offices of Lawyers (541110), Offices of Lawyers (54111), Legal Services (5411)
- SIC
- Services-Legal Services (8111)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Employment & Labor Law (BPAHAAAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Personal Injury & Insurance Defense (BPAHAAAM), Family & Private Client (Trusts & Estates) Law (BPAHAAAK)
Keywords
Where Smith Anderson is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Raleigh
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Smith Anderson business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Legal Services: Smith Anderson generates revenue through professional legal services including corporate transactional work, litigation, employment law, intellectual property, and regulatory advisory services. As a law firm, revenue is derived from client engagements on an hourly fee, fixed fee, or contingency basis depending on practice area and client arrangement.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Smith Anderson product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Smith Anderson is a full-service business and litigation law firm providing legal counsel across ten practice areas including Corporate & Transactional Law, Debt Finance, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Employment/Labor/Human Resources, Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation, Private Client Services, Real Estate Development, Regulatory & Public Policy, and Workplace Law. The firm is staffed by 170+ attorneys and serves regional, national, and global corporate clients on complex matters including M&A, litigation, regulatory compliance, and IP protection.
Product overview
Smith Anderson is a full-service business and litigation law firm providing legal services across multiple practice areas. The firm operates as a unified platform offering Corporate & Transactional Law, Debt Finance, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Employment/Labor/Human Resources, Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation, Private Client Services, Real Estate Development, Regulatory & Public Policy, and Workplace Law. These practice areas are interconnected, with the Workplace Law practice serving as an integrated hub combining employment, labor, HR, benefits, OSHA, and non-compete expertise. The firm serves regional, national and global companies from its Raleigh, North Carolina office.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Corporate & Transactional Law Comprehensive corporate legal services covering corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, financial institutions, private equity, public companies, and tax advisory for corporate clients.
- Debt Finance Finance legal services covering corporate and syndicated finance, mezzanine finance, sponsor finance, and venture debt/technology and fund finance.
- Intellectual Property IP legal services including patent litigation, trademark and copyright, advertising and marketing, data privacy and security, and technology transactions.
- Litigation Full-service litigation practice covering business litigation, construction, employment, environmental, insurance recovery, mass tort, patent, pharmaceutical, product liability, and trademark matters.
- Employment, Labor and Human Resources Workplace law services including wage and hour compliance, internal investigations, employment litigation, government investigations, FMLA/ADA compliance, workforce restructuring, and HR training.
- Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Benefits legal services including 401(k) and retirement plans, ESOP design, health plans, stock option plans, executive compensation, deferred compensation, and government audits.
- Private Client Services Legal services for individuals including closely-held and family-owned businesses, tax planning, and trusts and estates.
- Real Estate Development Real estate legal services covering commercial real estate, construction, environmental, land use and zoning, OSHA, real estate litigation, and right-of-way acquisition.
- Regulatory & Public Policy Government regulatory services including administrative law, corporate relocation incentives, data privacy, employee benefits, employment law, environmental, government contracting, and health care.
- Workplace Law Integrated workplace legal services combining employment, labor, human resources, employee benefits, OSHA, and non-compete/trade secrets practices.
Quantifiable outcome
- 49 Chambers Ranked Attorneys in 2025
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Smith Anderson
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Smith Anderson technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Smith Anderson partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Smith Anderson competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein: Charlotte-based full-service business and litigation law firm serving the Carolinas. Direct competitor in NC corporate, litigation, and regulatory practices with similar mid-tier national ranking scale.
- Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough: Multi-office Southeast law firm with deep NC presence. Comparable in full-service business and litigation offerings and target enterprise client segments across the Carolinas.
- Moore & Van Allen: Charlotte-headquartered full-service law firm with comparable practice areas (corporate, litigation, banking, employment). Direct NC competitor for enterprise and mid-market clients.
- Maynard Nexsen: Southeast-based full-service law firm with comparable size, practice mix, and NC/Southeast regional focus. Competes for similar enterprise, banking, and corporate clients across the Carolinas.
- McGuireWoods: Mid-Atlantic/Southeast full-service law firm with similar practice mix and comparable regional mid-tier national scale. Direct competitor for corporate, litigation, and healthcare matters across the Carolinas.
- Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton: Raleigh-based full-service business law firm with similar practice mix in corporate, securities, IP, and litigation. Direct local competitor for emerging companies and enterprise work in the Research Triangle.
- Brooks Pierce: North Carolina-based business law firm with similar practice mix and regional enterprise client base. Competes directly in Greensboro/Raleigh markets across corporate, litigation, and regulatory practices.
- Womble Bond Dickinson: Mid-Atlantic/Southeast full-service business law firm with strong presence in the Carolinas. Comparable in practice mix (corporate, litigation, IP, employment) and target market (mid-market and enterprise regional companies).
Broad incumbents
- Hunton Andrews Kurth: National full-service law firm with strong banking/financial institutions, energy, and corporate practices. Competes for similar enterprise clients in NC and the broader Southeast, particularly on banking and regulatory matters.
- K&L Gates: Global law firm with overlapping practice areas (corporate, IP, finance, litigation) and a Raleigh office. Larger scale and broader geographic footprint put it in competition for the same enterprise matters, particularly technology and life sciences work.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks3 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Smith Anderson social profiles
Digital presenceSmith Anderson financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Smith Anderson leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Smith Anderson funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Smith Anderson M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Smith Anderson
What does Smith Anderson do?
Smith Anderson is a full-service business and litigation law firm providing legal counsel across ten practice areas including Corporate & Transactional Law, Debt Finance, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Employment/Labor/Human Resources, Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation, Private Client Services, Real Estate Development, Regulatory & Public Policy, and Workplace Law. The firm is staffed by 170+ attorneys and serves regional, national, and global corporate clients on complex matters including M&A, litigation, regulatory compliance, and IP protection.
Is Smith Anderson a public or private company?
Smith Anderson is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Smith Anderson founded?
Smith Anderson was founded in 1912. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Smith Anderson based?
Smith Anderson is headquartered in Raleigh, United States, in the North America region.
How does Smith Anderson make money?
One revenue line is on record: legal Services.
Who are Smith Anderson's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, Moore & Van Allen, Maynard Nexsen, McGuireWoods, Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton, Brooks Pierce and Womble Bond Dickinson. Broad incumbents are Hunton Andrews Kurth and K&L Gates.
Does Smith Anderson have an API?
No public API is recorded for Smith Anderson.
What industry is Smith Anderson in?
Smith Anderson's product category is Business & Litigation Legal Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAAAD, Employment & Labor Law, with a secondary code of BPAHAAAM, Personal Injury & Insurance Defense. Its NAICS code is 541110 and its SIC code is 8111.