Smith, Abigail

Abigail C. Smith

Partner

abigail.smith@lw.com
abigail.smith@lw.com
    Smith, Abigail

    Abigail C. Smith

    Partner

    abigail.smith@lw.com
    "Abigail is a good lawyer, very thorough and a pleasure to work with."

    Chambers USA 2023

    “Great to work with, great energy, extremely attentive and strategic.”

    The Legal 500 US 2022

    Recommended – Real Estate: Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

    The Legal 500 US 2021-2022

    “Her knowledge, responsiveness, and customer service attitude put her very high up on the list of those corporate and securities lawyers with whom I’ve worked with over the last 30 years.”

    The Deal 2020

    “Her financial statement and accounting acumen as it relates to securities reporting, in particular, distinguishes her from her peers and makes her advice all the more valuable to complex companies.”

    The Deal 2020

    Rising Star

    The Deal 2020

    Profile

    Abigail C. Smith represents clients in their highest stakes capital markets transactions, with a primary focus on the real estate investment trust (REIT), financial services, and hospitality industries.

    Ms. Smith draws on substantial experience to guide issuers and underwriters on SEC-registered and exempted capital markets transactions, including:

    • Initial public offerings (IPOs)
    • Preferred and common equity offerings
    • Debt offerings, including investment grade, high yield, and green bonds

    Beyond the transactional context, Ms. Smith cultivates trusted relationships with her clients to advise on ongoing disclosure, reporting, and broader corporate governance matters.

    Ms. Smith is a recognized thought leader in the capital markets space and has co-authored LexisNexis’ Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) Guide for Capital Markets and Equity Capital Markets in the USA.

    She serves as a member of the board of directors of 826DC, a nonprofit organization that supports students ages 6 to 18 with developing their creative and expository writing skills and helps teachers inspire their students to write.

    Before joining Latham, she was a partner at another global law firm, where she served on the firm’s US Opinions Committee and frequently contributed to client publications related to securities law developments.

    Experience

    Ms. Smith’s experience includes advising: 

    • The JBG Companies on their US$10 billion merger, spin-off, and roll-up transaction with Vornado Realty Trust to create real estate investment trust JBG SMITH Properties*
    • JBG SMITH Properties on its US$500 million underwritten equity offering and US$200 million at-the-market (ATM) offering*
    • Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, and Wells Fargo, as underwriters, on Hudson Pacific Properties’ US$2.5 billion common equity offering, US$400 million preferred equity offering, US$1 billion notes offering, and US$125 million ATM offering*
    • Bank of America and Wells Fargo on the inaugural green bond offering of US$350 million senior notes issued by the operating partnership of Hudson Pacific Properties*
    • J.P. Morgan Securities and other underwriters on Piedmont Office Realty Trust’s offerings, including its US$300 million registered green bond offering and its US$250 million ATM offering with a forward component*
    • Playa Hotels & Resorts on its US$375 million Rule 144A high-yield notes; US$325 million investment in Hyatt; restructuring; and roll-up acquisition of portfolio in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Mexico*
    • DigitalBridge Group (formerly Colony Capital) on its US$300 million Rule 144A offering of 5.75% exchangeable senior notes due 2025 and various other offerings*
    • Washington Real Estate Investment Trust, a REIT that owns commercial and multifamily properties, on its US$150 million equity offering and its US$550 million ATM offering*
    • The board of directors and senior management of a multibillion-dollar market-cap company on an activist tabletop exercise, working alongside its financial advisor, a major US investment bank*
    • The Commonwealth of the Bahamas on its Rule 144A/Reg S offerings of more than US$1 billion notes*
    • Cambridge Bancorp, a bank holding company, on acquiring Optima Bank & Trust and its registered equity offering in connection with acquiring Wellesley Bancorp*
    • Citigroup, Wells Fargo Securities, and other underwriters on Retail Properties of America’s public offerings of US$500 million senior unsecured notes and its US$250 million ATM offering*
    • Morgan Stanley, BofA Securities, J.P. Morgan, and other managers in Cousins Properties’ US$500 million ATM offering with a forward sale component*

    *Matter handled prior to joining Latham

    Qualifications

    Bar Qualification

    • District of Columbia
    • New York

    Education

    • JD, Georgetown University Law Center, 2006
    • BA, Vanderbilt University, 1997
      cum laude

    Practices

    Industries

    News & Insights