CLF Attorney Claris Smith Appointed to Chair Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Dartmouth Club of the Gulf Coast

Claris Smith, Attorney at Cooper Law Firm, has been named to Chair Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Dartmouth Club of the Gulf Coast.

As a member of the leadership team, Ms. Smith will support programing and events with a focus on inclusion and diversity.  

Ms. Smith is an Associate Attorney at Cooper Law Firm, LLC, where she litigates pharmaceutical and environmental toxic torts. She is the Vice Chair of the Board of Special Olympics Louisiana and a volunteer mentor for the Legal Education Advancing Diversity (LEAD) Program at Dillard.  

“I am thrilled to join the Dartmouth Club of the Gulf Coast as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Chair,” said Ms. Smith. “I look forward to working with leadership to develop concrete policies and measurable goals to ensure that we are reaching out to marginalized populations and provide a welcoming environment all people regardless of their race, ethnicity, sexual preference or gender identity. I’m proud to have Dartmouth as my alma mater look forward to helping this organization be the best it can be.  

Ms. Smith dual-majored in English and Studio art at Dartmouth.  After graduating in 2006 she moved to New York to work as Clinical Research Coordinator for two years. She then returned to East Texas to obtain a Master’s in Health Science at the University of Texas at Tyler.  It was working in public health, and recognizing disparities in health outcomes, that led to Ms. Smith’s interest in law. In 2015, she enrolled at Tulane Law School. While there she wrote for the Tulane Environmental Law Journal, participated in BLSA Moot Court, served as President of the Disability Law Society, and earned the prestigious Tulane 34 Award.