Dawn Smith was born in Tucson, Arizona, and raised by a single mom with the help of loving grandparents. Growing up, Dawn’s family instilled in her a belief that those who work hard and dream big can accomplish anything — no matter what the odds. With this foundation, Dawn turned her sights on a career in law. She hoped to make a difference in the lives of people like her mother and grandparents, who worked hard their entire lives through adversity, always striving to make a difference in the smallest ways.

Dawn’s dream of becoming a lawyer solidified in her heart on an eighth-grade field trip to Washington D.C. While there, her group attended a session of the U.S. Supreme Court. The lawyers stood at the front of a formal gallery surrounded by marble columns, arguing passionately for their client’s rights, their voices raised to Justices perched high above in black robes. Unwavering, they fought to positively impact the lives of their clients with one voice and one day in court. At that moment it was clear — through the law, one voice can touch many lives.

Dawn went on to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of North Texas. At UNT she met her husband and they moved to Southern California where she attended Whittier Law School. While there, Dawn clerked for the California Court of Appeal, Second District, and was a founding board member of the Whittier Journal of Child and Family Advocacy.