Biography
Simplifying Family Law. As a young child of divorce and a divorced co-parent, I recognize the feelings of overwhelm and uncertainty that accompany family law matters. That’s why my empathetic approach focuses on providing clarity and hope for clients. Understanding the nuances and complexities involved – whether for divorce, child custody, paternity, or support – requires the training, skills, and experience that I have acquired over years of practice. I share that technical knowledge clearly and concisely. By offering clients accessible and comprehensible options, I strive to simplify what can otherwise be a complicated legal process both in- and out-of-court. Steadfastly, I am here for clients, empowering them each step of the way.
Curious Leader. Tara enhances her client’s individualized experience in family law matters by pursuing opportunities for knowledge that, in turn, provide invaluable tools and resources:
- Qualified Neutral under Rule 114 of the Minnesota Rules of Practice
- Trained in the Collaborative Law process
- Previously served as an investigator for the 4th District Ethics Committee
- Participated in the acclaimed Institute for Leadership in the Legal Profession
- Participated in innovative, human-centered Design Thinking course
Distinguished Experience. Prior to graduating from law school, Tara both managed and served as an inside sales representative at an independent manufacturers’ agency in the commercial construction industry. Tara’s twelve years of experience in representing numerous manufacturers in the Upper Midwest – serving architects to end users – helped her hone skills equally important to the practice of law:
- Impeccable client service
- Creative problem solving
- Fierce negotiation
Tara relied on these skills, first as a family law attorney at the prominent Minneapolis firm, Walling, Berg & Debele, then as both that firm’s chief operating officer and another’s legal operations manager for six years. Thereafter, she formed Maxim Smith Family Law with her long-time colleague before venturing forward as a solo practitioner, launching Smith Family Law PLLC.
Arts Advocate. As a member of Perpich Center for Arts Education’s inaugural class, Tara is a classically trained pianist and avid supporter of the Arts.
Small Town at Heart. Tara is proud to call Cannon Falls, Minnesota her hometown. She attributes her hard work ethic and trustworthy nature to growing up in this rural river town – a tight-knit community where she learned the strengths of honesty, integrity, and compassion for others. Tara loves to spend time with her family traveling, hiking, and exploring places both near and far, yet her heart never ventures far from her small town roots.
Education
- William Mitchell College of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota
- Juris Doctor – 2009
- Honors: Volunteer, Minnesota Justice Foundation / Achievement in Volunteer Public Service
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
- Bachelor of Arts – 2006
- Honors: Summa Cum Laude
- Major: English Honors
- Normandale Community College, Bloomington, Minnesota
- Associate of Arts – 2003
- Honors: Highest Honors; Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society
- 40-Hour Family Mediation Skills Training, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts – Minnesota Chapter, 2023
- New Collaborative Experience Training, Collaborative Law Institute of Minnesota, 2023
- Institute for Leadership in the Legal Profession, Hennepin County Bar Association, 2019
- C4: The Legal Industry Conference – Design Thinking, Association of Legal Administrators, 2019
Bar Admissions
- Minnesota, 2009
Professional Associations
- Collaborative Law Institute of Minnesota, Member, 2021 – Present
- Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, Member, 2010 – Present
- Minnesota Women Lawyers, Member, 2010 – Present; Founding Co-Chair, Alternative Legal Careers Affinity Group, 2019 – 2021
- Hennepin County Bar Association, Member, 2009 – Present; Steering Committee, The Institute for Leadership in the Legal Profession, 2020 – Present
- Minnesota State Bar Association, Member, 2009 – Present
- Ramsey County Bar Association, Member, 2009 – 2022
- American Bar Association, Member, 2009 – 2017
- Cooperative Practice Network of Minnesota, Founding Member, 2009 – 2017; Executive Committee Chair, 2009 – 2014
- Association of Legal Administrators, Member, 2014 – 2019; Verdict Newsletter Editor, 2018 – 2019, 2014 – 2015; Membership Development Committee, 2018; Communications Committee, 2014 – 2015
- Legal Marketing Association, Member, 2015 – 2017
- Society for Human Resource Management, Member, 2014 – 2017
Published Works
- Be the Change and Thrive, The Hennepin Lawyer (Hennepin County Bar Association), Vol. 89, No. 6, November, 2020
- Family Law Jurisdictional Comparisons, Second Edition, Co-Contributor of USA – Minnesota Jurisdiction, Thompson Reuters, January, 2013
- Cooperative or Collaborative Practice Models: Using ADR to Meet Clients’ Needs for Unbundling, Family Advocate (American Bar Association Section of Family Law), Vol. 35, No. 2, January, 2012
- Cooperative Practice: The Flexible ADR Framework, Co-Authored with Lisa J. Kallemeyn, Esq., Family Law Forum (Minnesota State Bar Association Family Law Section), Vol. 19, No. 3, January, 2011
- Family Law Jurisdictional Comparisons, First Edition, Co-Contributor of USA – Minnesota Jurisdiction, Thompson Reuters, January, 2011
- She Is Strong, She Is Invincible, and She Outearns Him: Husbands Seeking Spousal Maintenance in the Modern Era, Family Law Forum (Minnesota State Bar Association Family Law Section), Vol. 18, No. 3, January, 2010
Classes & Seminars
- Thomson Reuters Learning Week, Customer Panel: Firm Administrators, June 10, 2015
- Got Money? Program Guest, Lake Minnetonka Community Channel 12, June 4, 2013
- The Nuts and Bolts of Cooperative Practice, Co-Presenter with Terryl Johnson, CDFA and Becca Wong, Esq., Cooperative Practice Network of Minnesota, April 17, 2013
- Cooperative Practice: The Flexible ADR Framework, Co-Presenter with Lisa J. Kallemeyn, Esq. and R. Leigh Frost, Esq., Minnesota CLE Webcast, November 20, 2012
- Cooperative Practice: The Flexible ADR Framework, Presenter, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) – Minnesota Chapter, November 02, 2012
- Introduction to Family Law – Law and the Legal Process Course, Guest Lecturer, Metro State University, October 11, 2012
- Cooperative Practice: The Flexible ADR Framework, Presenter, Minnesota State Bar Association, Family Law Section, October 8, 2011
- Cooperative Practice: The Flexible ADR Framework, Co-Presenter with Lisa J. Kallemeyn, Esq., Ramsey County Bar Association, September 30, 2011
- She is Strong, She is Invincible, and She Outearns Him, Presenter, Ramsey County Bar Association, December 22, 2010
- Participation Agreements and Informed Consent: How to Get Your Cooperative Agreement in Writing, Presenter, Cooperative Practice Network of Minnesota, December 1, 2010
Pro-Bono Activities
- Volunteer Attorney, Mitchell Hamline School of Law Self-Help Clinic (2022 – Present)
- Delegate, Board of Directors; Member, Transportation Committee, Saint Anthony Park Community Council (2020 – 2021)
- Volunteer Attorney, Volunteer Lawyers Network (2009 – 2013)
- Guardian ad Litem, Second Judicial District, Ramsey County, Minnesota (2007 – 2008)