Krista Johnson Smiley

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Krista Johnson Smiley is an Associate Attorney at Smithey Law Group. Krista assists clients with complex labor and employment law matters including discrimination based on race, sex, age, national origin, and sexual orientation; disability accommodations and discrimination; harassment; retaliation; FMLA retaliation; federal employment; unpaid wages; severance agreements; and employment contracts including noncompete agreements and other restrictive covenants.

Before joining Smithey Law Group, Krista practiced employment law and litigation in the D.C. metro area.  She additionally served as a Judicial Law Clerk for the Honorable Raquel Trabal and the Honorable Tyrona T. De Witt at D.C. Superior Court after graduating from law school.

Krista is dedicated to zealous advocacy for individuals facing discrimination and workplace misconduct. Through her client-centered approach, she has achieved excellent results for clients in litigation, administrative proceedings, and negotiations in various industries, including federal and local agencies, government contractors, sales, tech, healthcare, and education.

Krista is an active member of the District of Columbia Bar Association, the Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association (MWELA), and the MWELA Bench-Bar Committee.

Bar Admissions

  • District of Columbia (2020)
  • Maryland (2024)

Education and Background

Krista holds a J.D. from the George Washington University Law School, where she served as Production Editor for the Federal Communications Law Journal. As a student, she clerked at a D.C. employment law firm. She also interned at the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, assisting with agency investigations into compliance with language access regulations and civil rights protections.

Krista grew up in Iowa and graduated cum laude from Iowa State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Studies, during which she conducted research on gender inequality in politics and government. Before law school, Krista worked in court administration and legal aid services, assisting individuals with language access needs, disability accommodations, and access to justice. In her free time, Krista enjoys travel, cooking, nail polish, and spending time with family, friends, and her two cats, Ravioli and Gnocchi.