Kelli Scheid Smith

Smith practices corporate and real estate law with a focus on clients in the finance, sports, fashion and retail and hospitality industries.

The industries she covers took a beating during the pandemic. "I managed to work with everyone hardest hit," she said. "Retail. Sports. Real Estate. Hospitality. We're tackling new problems, and it's been a really difficult year, but we're now seeing the resiliency of these industries as things start to pick up. And happily our firm came through it all very well."

Smith represents longtime firm client The Buccini/Pollin Group in real estate transactions. Her recent matters include joint ventures between a hotel chain and BPG including the financing and development of Virgin Hotels in Nashville, Tenn., and New Orleans; the financing of the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel in Baltimore; and the modification of loans for several BPG assets.

"Clients see the value in the market now and they have capital ready to deploy," Smith said. "Occupancy levels are up in hotels, and people are ready to do deals again. There was a lull in many states where stop work orders meant they had to put down the hammers and nails while Covid protocols could be gotten into place. But now people see that there's demand in the hospitality asset space."

Smith also serves as outside counsel for several U.S. fashion retailers. She negotiated a license agreement for a collection to be sold by a major retailer and does similar work for several foreign retail, wholesale and e-commerce license agreements.

In the sports sector, Smith said demand remains high. "Work hasn't slowed for us. Sponsorship transactions go forward. Sponsors want to get back into deals that trigger when actual events begin to be held with the general public in attendance, and someone's got to do the negotiation."

She recently received the firm's Marc L. Fleischaker Pro Bono Award for outstanding pro bono achievement. "I want to make our San Francisco office part of our firm's long and storied pro bono history," Smith said.

-- John Roemer