To Corporate Death Do Us Part: Mediating and Arbitrating a Business Divorce

Roxann Smithers, Esq.

Roxann Smithers is Your Trust 360° General Counsel. Roxann has a passion for working with entrepreneurs and business owners. She developed a nationwide practice that focuses on providing clients with the expertise, quality, and tailored legal services of Big Law for the benefit of Small and Medium size businesses. Roxann’s practice includes Business Law, Dispute Resolution, and General Counsel Services.

As a Business Attorney, Roxann regularly advises clients in corporate matters involved with running their business. That includes advising clients during contract drafting, reviews and negotiation (both private and public contracts). Roxann works with clients who seek to purchase a business, sell their business as part of an exit planning strategy, or grow their business through investors and third-party financing.

In terms of Dispute Resolution, Roxann has an expertise in tackling matters in multiple state and federal jurisdictions across the country, including, breach of contract, enforcement of business covenants (competition, solicitation, and confidentiality), payment actions, and general business disputes. Roxann is well poised to draft a contract, mediate it, arbitrate it or litigate it. She has a specific background in premise liability defense.

As General Counsel, Roxann routinely advises clients in various aspects of their businesses including formations, deal negotiations, property acquisitions, joint ventures, corporate governance, and compliance investigations. She ushers clients through partner exits, i.e. business divorces. Additionally, Roxann serves as general counsel on court appointed receiverships. She has a specific background with the construction industry.

Finally, Roxann brings all of the legal skills to bear as a Mediator focused on business matters exclusively. Roxann ushers parties through the resolution of business litigation, internal management disputes, and the last mile of business venture negotiations.

Roxann has a mission to Educate business owners about the legal issues that impact their ventures every day. She is the co-founder of The SORS Collective, a roundtable group of business owners who are seeking to build profitable and sustainable businesses to provide wealth for themselves, their families and others. Roxann is a founding member of the ATL Small Business Mastermind Forum, a collective of professional services providers and community-based small business organizations. Roxann regularly speaks before business associations, seminar groups, and conference audiences on the law, its impact on business, and entrepreneurship in general. As a former Trustee, Roxann was part of the Entrepreneurship Ministry at Providence Missionary Baptist Church. She serves as a mentor with the Emory Business School Accelerator Start: ME. Roxann has provided legal education content to various organizations including, the SBA, Club E Atlanta, and Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs.

A native of Akron, OH, Roxann earned a B.A. in African-American Studies (Political Science focus) and a J.D. from Columbia University. She served as President of the Columbia Club of Atlanta for seven years. She remains on the board as the GA Reg. Chair for the Alumni Representative Committee. Roxann served on the Board of Directors for the Columbia University Alumni Association and the Columbia College Alumni Association. Remains a member of the Associations and Clubs Committee. Roxann is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys. Roxann served as Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Children’s Burial Assistance, Inc. and Secretary for the Smyrna Rotary Club.

In her spare time, Roxann is an avid golfer, tennis player, swimmer, and kickboxing student who enjoys travel, literature and retail therapy. She is the proud parent of a lovable (to most people) dog, Owen.