Nana Asante-Smith, a 35-year-old Ghanaian-born, American-raised lawyer based in Durham, North Carolina, works as an Associate at the renowned firm Parker Poe Attorneys & Counselors at Law.
She concentrates her practice on internal and government investigations, white collar and business litigation, and allegations of sex discrimination at colleges and universities, notably internal investigations tied to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which regulates sex discrimination and sexual harassment.
Ms Asante-Smith has had a phenomenal year in her legal career. She was selected by the National Bar Association for its Top 40 Under 40: Nation’s Best Advocate Award, which recognises outstanding attorneys from across the country.
She was also honoured as part of the inaugural class of the Triangle Business Journal’s Triangle Law Awards and was one of the youngest award recipients. Most recently, she was selected as a recipient of the American Bar Association’s On the Rise Top 40 Young Lawyers’ Award.
Beyond her legal practice, Ms Asante-Smith is deeply committed to serving her community and the legal profession. She currently serves on the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority Board, where she chairs the Operations Committee.
In May, North Carolina Central University, a historically Black university, appointed Ms Asante-Smith as a member of the NCCU Board of Visitors. She also serves on the advisory board for the Durham YMCA.
Her previous roles include chairing the Durham Mayor’s Council for Women, leading organisations representing Black attorneys in North Carolina and Durham, and serving on the board of directors for Duke University’s alumni network in the Triangle area.
