JACKI SMITH

A Fierce Advocate for Injured Maritime Workers

Jacki Smith is a partner at Lambert Zainey Smith & Soso who has dedicated her career to fighting for the rights of injured maritime workers, with a special focus on advocating for commercial divers and other seamen in complex personal injury litigation.

Growing up in Patterson, Louisiana, in the heart of St. Mary Parish, Jacki developed a deep-rooted appreciation for the marine and offshore industry at an early age. Her family’s long connection to this work — including her late grandfather, a pioneer who spent 40 years in the diving business developing groundbreaking offshore techniques — instilled in Jacki a profound respect for the hardworking people who make their living on the water. This unique background provides her with an invaluable perspective and a powerful commitment to ensuring her clients are treated fairly when things go wrong.

Since joining the firm in 2013, Jacki has built a formidable reputation handling a wide range of maritime cases, including Jones Act claims, maintenance and cure disputes, vessel collisions, wrongful death claims, and LHWCA matters. She combines meticulous legal preparation with tenacious advocacy to protect the rights and futures of her clients.