The Bond Torchbearer Spotlight with Kristen E. Smith

March 24, 2022

By: Laura H. Harshbarger and Kristen E. Smith

Torchbearer: A person who leads or inspires others in working toward a valued goal.

The Bond Women’s Initiative is presenting a series of interviews to highlight the careers and successes of the women attorneys of Bond: the Bond Torchbearer Spotlight. The spotlight focuses on women attorneys formerly or currently at Bond in all stages of their careers. The Torchbearer Spotlight showcases the many ways Bond women lead and inspire others in their law practice, private life, community service and/or educational experiences.

Please join us for a short “fireside chat” where we will spotlight our next Torchbearer – Kristen Smith.

Kristen is returning to Bond after four years as Corporation Counsel with the City of Syracuse. As Corporation Counsel, Kristen oversaw all legal affairs for the city, supervising a law department of 18 attorneys. During her time with the city, Kristen implemented major staffing, organizational and performance improvements to the law department and improved responsiveness and efficiency of the Freedom of Information Law process. She also made significant contributions to police-reform initiatives, negotiated the city’s acquisition of its street-light network and helped Syracuse earn its designation as New York’s Flagship Smart City. 

Kristen originally joined Bond in 2005 after working in human resource management with several large corporations (including Exelon and Bose) which gave her a unique and helpful perspective into the day-to-day realities of being an employer. Joining Bond, she merged this practical knowledge with her legal experience to provide each Bond client with a realistic, pragmatic approach to solving employment law challenges. This earned Kristen the status of member in 2016 and we are delighted she is returning to the membership. 

We’ll talk to Kristen about the time in the corporate world, private practice and in-house with city government and how all that experience touched her and afforded Kristen the ability to serve as a torchbearer to many.Bond women light the way – and we want to applaud and honor those efforts.

Bond women light the way – and we want to applaud and honor those efforts.

Complimentary Zoom Webinar
Thursday, March 24, 2022 
Noon - 12:45 p.m. EST

Torchbearer: Kristen E. Smith - Former Member, Syracuse
Interviewer: Laura H. Harshbarger - Member, Syracuse

Sponsored by Bond's Women's Initiative