Meredith Smith

Meredith Smith joined the School of Government in 2013. Previously, she was an associate with the law firm of McGuireWoods LLP in Charlotte. Smith earned a B.A. in political science and Spanish, with distinction, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a law degree, cum laude, from Georgetown University School of Law, where she was a member of the American Criminal Law Review.

Smith works with clerks of superior court, judges, attorneys, adult protective services professionals, and other public officials on legal issues affecting vulnerable adults. Her teaching, research, and scholarship focus on adult guardianship, adult protective services, adult abuse and neglect, powers of attorney, and related court proceedings. Her recent research examines judicial capacity determinations in guardianship proceedings, less restrictive alternatives to guardianship, multidisciplinary approaches to adult protection, and the implementation of adult protection teams across North Carolina.

Smith is the author of numerous publications on guardianship, adult protective services, and elder protection, including Legal Framework for North Carolina's Elder Protection System (co-authored with Aimee Wall), Roadmap to the Legal Framework for North Carolina's Elder Protection System, and a variety of tools, legislative updates, and practice guides for North Carolina public officials. She serves as co-editor and primary author of the North Carolina Clerk of Superior Court Manual Series. She is a co-founder of the Adult Protection Network, a statewide initiative that provides training, technical assistance, and implementation support for multidisciplinary teams addressing adult abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Through her research, writing, and educational programs, Smith works to strengthen North Carolina's adult protection system by translating research into practical guidance for public officials.