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AAPRC Weekly: Judy Smith

Judy Smith
Founder and Partner
Weber Merritt & Smith
Washington DC


If you could open a dictionary and look up the term "power broker," it's very likely you'd find a picture of Judy Smith. For nearly 20 years, this preeminent media consultant has been called upon to lend her communications and legal skills to history-making court cases, Fortune 500 companies, national and international organizations, foreign governments and the President of the United States. It seems the entire world has Judy Smith on speed dial.

As a founding member and partner in the public relations firm Weber Merritt & Smith, Smith oversees public relations and strategic communications and heads the firm's crisis communications unit. Currently, she is communications counsel for the manslaughter trial of former NBA star Jayson Williams. Prior to her work at Weber Merritt & Smith she was a partner in Qorvis Communications and president of JAS Communications末a firm she started in 1997 to represent a number of high profile corporate, sports, entertainment and political clients. Among those clients were Monica Lewinsky and her family, whom Smith represented during the Clinton impeachment proceedings. Prior to launching JAS, Smith served as senior vice president of corporate communications at NBC. There, Smith managed over 100 communications employees, served as NBC's chief spokesperson for domestic and international programming and business ventures, and helped launch one of the industry's most successful cable TV stations, MSNBC.

Smith possesses an impressive track record of corporate, agency, government and non-profit work, but in addition to her skills and experience in media and communications, Smith also brings an accomplished legal mind to the table. She graduated from the American University Law School in 1986, where she was the first African-American woman ever to make Law Review (she went on to serve as executive editor).

After earning her J.D. while working full-time during the day and attending classes at night, Smith went on to serve as a prosecutor and special counsel to the U.S. Attorney of the District of Columbia. There she oversaw both legal and communications work on a number of high profile criminal and civil cases末including the prosecution of former Mayor Marion Barry for drug possession. Additionally, Smith served as associate counsel and deputy director of public information in the Office of the Independent Counsel. In that capacity she managed legal as well as national and international public information for the Iran Contra prosecution of Oliver North and several other defendants.

In 1991, Smith was appointed deputy press secretary and special assistant to President George Bush. In the White House she provided communications advice on a wide range of foreign and domestic issues, including welfare reform, health care reform, the budget debate and the allegations of sexual harassment made by Anita Hill during the Clarence Thomas nomination.

Smith is frequently featured in national publications such as the Washington Post, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. As a public relations and legal expert, she appears on major television networks including CNN, MSNBC and FOXNews.

Smith's skills have been called upon during the Chandra Levy investigation and the Enron Congressional inquiry. She worked with the United Nations Foundation and the World Health Organization on the SARS scare. She has advised some of the world's largest corporations, including Bell South, Union Pacific and Federated Department Stores; cities and municipalities around the country; and foreign governments including Haiti, the Philippines, Zimbabwe and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Over the years, Judy Smith has been put to the test again and again, and each time she passes with flying colors.

What drew you in to communications? Was there a moment early in your career that really confirmed it for you, that this is what you were meant to do?

I started out in non-profit communications and I developed an interest in law. I had several people tell me that I argued well, so I decided to go to law school. The combination of communications and law was a good one. It was a match made in heaven. What attracts me to communications is the power of words, and words are the most powerful way to convey messages.

You hold a unique position for an African-American female within our profession. What specific choices (i.e. schooling, jobs, etc.) did you make along your career path that lead you to the successful and esteemed position that you hold today?

The choices that I have made have always been things that have captured and held my interest, not solely financial reward.

You were already working as a public relations specialist when you went back to school for a law degree. What precipitated that move? How do you put your legal skills to work in PR?

The legal skills gained in law school are an important component in effective communications. Being able to think quickly on your feet, to analyze quickly and thoroughly are skills important to both professions.

With the exception of your stint at NBC, your career seems to be centered around politics and government. What attracts you to that arena?

My involvement in politics and government has just gotten the most attention. And my work in these areas has taught me to assess a situation quickly. My career has really been well rounded, working for a varied list of clients including Fortune 500 companies, national associations, and high-profile individuals and corporations facing crises.

As a public relations professional, you've had to navigate the media through some of the most controversial incidents in recent political history末Monica Lewinsky, Marion Barry, Iran-Contra, etc. How do you prepare, mentally and strategically, for projects of that magnitude?

While working on such high profile projects as those mentioned above, as well as the Chandra Levy family, the SARS outbreak and the Jayson Williams case, I strategically assess the situation and realize that the situation may change at any moment. Preparing multiple plans of action while keeping focused on the main agenda makes it all work for me.

Can you describe a typical day when you were Deputy Press Secretary in the first Bush White House?

The average day was long. I was usually at work by seven a.m. and I might get off around eight or nine p.m. It was like being a firefighter at times. Having to look at an issue, assess it, develop a plan, and act on it all within minutes kept me pretty busy. Probably the most exciting thing about being at the White House was being at the center of where everything happens.

What's the most important lesson you learned during your tenure in the White
House?

The importance of keeping on your toes, being able to make quick and decisive decisions. The importance of being able to become an expert on an issue in five minutes or less and then be able to move on to the next crises or issue.

You went from the White House to NBC. What made you choose broadcasting at that point in your career?

It's still all about communications and TV is one of the best ways to convey messages to the masses. Being at NBC put me on the other side of the fence for a change and it was different and yet rewarding.

You left NBC to strike out on your own with J.A.S. Communications. Had you always planned to open your own agency? Describe the transition from corporate executive to entrepreneur and agency work.

While working at NBC, I hit a glass ceiling末having been a vice president with the chances of being president very unlikely. After I left, and while vacationing, I received calls from colleagues and friends in the business. These calls prompted me to do my own thing, and with the contacts I had made and with the support I had, I did it.

No one gets to where you are professionally without being a relationship expert. For PR professionals, what's your best advice for managing relationships with journalists and with clients?

The best way to manage relationships with clients and the press is to be dependable and to maintain a sense of integrity and honesty. You must me able to rely on them and they must be able to rely on you. It's a symbiotic relationship.

Do you ever find yourself politically or ethically at odds with a client or potential client/project? How do you manage that aspect of your career?

It's bound to happen, but hopefully not too often. And if it does, you must offer them the best advice possible and taking advantage of that advice is up to them. Avoiding anything unethical goes without saying.

What's a typical day like for you?

Long, but rewarding in the end. I'm never bored because of the varying clients that I work with. Working on issues ranging from multimillion-dollar lawsuits, to new and exciting health care issues, from high profile cases to microscopic genetic therapy, I'm always pretty busy.

You're an African-American and a woman who operates in the upper echelon of industries that have been primarily "boy's clubs." How often do you find yourself having to navigate race and gender issues?

Everyday. And it's not an uncommon thing to deal with for African-Americans in general. I tend to make the best of the situation by bringing the best I have to the table, providing them with the best services, and leaving a lasting impression.

What's been your biggest challenge so far?

I can't say that there has really been a 澱iggest challenge." Every project or issue I work on for a client is a challenge, uniquely demanding in their own right.

To date, you seem to have made many successful transitions throughout your career, what do you see in your professional future?

Life is about transition. It's constantly changing and evolving, and the key is to make the changes positive and rewarding. I invite change by taking on new and exciting tasks, and I look forward to anything that leads me to that direction.

How do you maintain balance in your personal life?

It's a struggle. I keep in mind that my family is the most important thing in my life. When you die, no one puts on your gravestone that "I wish I would have worked harder."

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AAPRC's Mission
The African-American Public Relations Collective (AAPRC) is an assemblage of professionals who provide communication conduits among clients, journalists, media and our communities. We come together as a collective because we recognize the importance of building those same conduits amongst ourselves.

A great deal of what we do is professional development末updating our skills, keeping pace with technology, refining and streamlining processes, providing a forum to tackle the issues that impact our work environment末but we believe our professional lives benefit most from the forging of effective alliances. Connected to one another, we possess the power of a nationwide body of committed, knowledgeable practitioners with an eye on the future.

As we move into the 21st century at lightning speed, mass media and its potent messages occupy an ever-larger part of our daily lives and our collective psyche. The AAPRC is focused on helping our members gain a deeper understanding of media's force and supporting their growth as powerful participants in the global communications network.

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