Shauki Smith

Shauki Smith’s work focuses on sports law, contracts and advocating for athletes and entrepreneurs. She currently serves as Contracts Manager for the Washington Spirit, where she drafts, reviews and negotiates agreements, manages intellectual property matters and supports the club’s Chief Legal Officer. Shauki is also an NFLPA Certified Contract Advisor and the founder and Principal Attorney of The Key Practice, LLC, a boutique law firm serving athletes and entrepreneurs.

Shauki’s path to sports law followed an accomplished career in accounting. A San Francisco native, she spent nearly two decades in corporate accounting and more than 13 years as an adjunct accounting professor before transitioning into the legal profession. After being admitted to the Georgia Bar, she established The Key Practice in 2021. Shauki has continued her commitment to education as an adjunct professor teaching Sports Law at Georgia State University College of Law.

In 2025, Shauki received the National Bar Association Chairman’s Award in recognition of her contributions to the legal community. She is active in several professional organizations, including the Sports Lawyers Association, Black Entertainment and Sports Lawyers Association and the American Bar Association. She is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Shauki earned her B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from San Francisco State University, an MBA from Mercer University, a Master of Accounting from Kennesaw State University, a Juris Master from Emory University School of Law and her J.D. from Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School.