AUDREY SMITH
Tallahassee,FL
Summary
Dynamic and innovative senior-level business executive and general counsel with extensive experience in highly regulated industries. Equipped with a wealth of experience as a C-suite executive and attorney, successfully driving legal and operational excellence on a global scale. Achieved through standardization of processes, development of policies and procedures, and oversight of risk and compliance for domestic and international expansions. Contributions played a pivotal role in fostering revenue growth within diverse organizations, consistently delivering double-digit revenue expansion. Managed a $500 million portfolio and led a team of 50 employees. Professional network spans fintech, healthcare, real estate, business, and government sectors. Proficient in employment-related matters, regulatory compliance, and intricate commercial business disputes. Navigating complex legal landscapes is second nature. Transformative leader with the ability to rally teams around a shared vision, steering them towards the achievement of organizational objectives.
Overview
23
23
years of professional experience
Work History
General Counsel
MSIA Oculus Technologies, LLC
01.2020 - Current
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to establish best practices for managing contractual obligations.
- Advise executive leadership on strategic decisions, minimizing legal risks, and ensuring positive outcomes.
- Manage litigation strategy to successfully resolve high-stakes disputes with minimal financial impact.
- Electronic payments guidance with legal issues surrounding credit and debit card processing, merchant acceptance, money, prepaid access, virtual wallets, mobile payments, ACH, and payment facilitation with an emphasis on high-risk transactions.
- Provide legal and regulatory exposures to allow management to understand the risks of making critical business decisions.
- Advising on the acquisition or sale of payment service companies, M&A transactions, real estate group assets, negotiating and drafting high-stake agreements for merchant acquirers, payment facilitators, Independent Sales Organizations (ISOs), processors, gateways, independent software vendors (ISVs), value-added resellers (VARs) and sales agents, to ensure business and legal concepts are aligned.
Partner
LS Carlson Law
01.2020 - 01.2020
- Represented clients in business and real estate matters, including business formation, real estate transactions, distressed property, due diligence, permitting, contract and lease negotiations, and landlord-tenant disputes and litigation.
- Achieved successful client outcomes by identifying and addressing their unique needs and goals.
- Handled landlord tenant issues, including leasing, eviction, and dispute resolution.
- Researched, analyzed and applied state and local environmental, land use, and zoning laws in relation to real estate and business development in Florida.
- Stayed informed on industry developments and market trends to gain competitive advantage.
- Networked with other professionals and organizations to expand contacts and opportunities.
- Negotiated settlements, achieving mutually satisfactory resolutions for clients involved in disputes.
- Monitored associate performance and provided feedback on areas of improvement.
VP & Senior Legal Counsel
Sovereign Health Group
01.2015 - 01.2020
- Cultivated a high-performance culture within the organization by setting clear expectations for employees at all levels, providing regular feedback, and recognizing achievement.
- Championed change management initiatives within the organization to ensure smooth transitions during periods of growth or restructuring.
- Led a cross-functional team to develop and launch a new product line, contributing to significant growth in sales.
- Resolved issues and recommended actions based on production and compliance reports.
- Collaborated closely with various department heads on strategic planning initiatives to ensure alignment between corporate goals.
- Championed both the national and international operational efforts of the organization while overseeing various functions including; legal and business guidance, compliance, HR, rapid expansion efforts, facilities, physician groups, lab and pharmacy assets for a national inpatient behavioral health organization with over 800 beds serving adults and adolescents in multi-state area.
- Partnered with both internal and external resources on projections for potential investments, performed due diligence for M&A transactions, negotiated acquisition agreements and assisted with operations integration, HR governance, risk and liability oversight.
Director of Healthcare Department
Toral Law, P.A
01.2014 - 01.2015
- Revitalized business development efforts and expanded practice areas.
- Tactically revitalized the business development efforts for the law firm emphasizing catastrophic accidents, traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, and hospital provider reimbursement recovery solutions.
- Laid strategic framework and operations workflows to produce a major expansion of practice areas to include financial recovery solutions through subrogation efforts.
- Developed strategic partnerships with community organizations, improving access to healthcare resources.
Chief Executive Officer and Attorney
H.E.R.O. Healthy Florida, LLC
01.2010 - 01.2014
- Oversaw operational management of a national diabetes education organization and secured significant government contracts.
- Established foundational processes for business operations.
- Negotiated favorable contracts with suppliers and vendors, ensuring cost-effective procurement processes.
- Managed partnerships and strategic business relationships by negotiating contract terms and handling conflicts.
- Identified new revenue generation opportunities to maximize bottom-line profitability.
- Implemented strong hiring and training techniques to promote team cohesiveness and streamline overall workflow.
- Analyzed and tracked business metrics and made appropriate adjustments to meet supply and demand needs.
- Directed research and development efforts in alignment with long-term strategic goals to maintain competitive advantage within the industry sector.
- Upheld the operational oversight of this world-class diabetes education organization which boasted seven divisions, four district offices, and 320 site locations nationwide.
- Provided the strategic direction of the largest multi-site, national, multi-disciplinary diabetes organization.
- Overseer of bottom-line factors which included long-range planning, national product management, and proprietary tracking.
- Trailblazed a strategy that delivered a $26M contract with Saudi Arabia and Ecuador government contracts.
General Counsel
Otter Creek Management and Investments, Inc
01.2006 - 01.2010
- Served as general counsel for 12 related entities, while capturing exclusive contracts with the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, and Paradise Live.
- Cultivated strong relationships with key stakeholders, including customers, vendors, regulators, and community leaders to promote collaboration and long-term success.
- Advised executive leadership on strategic decisions, minimizing legal risks and ensuring positive outcomes.
- Managed litigation strategy to successfully resolve high-stakes disputes with minimal financial impact.
- Negotiated complex contracts for key business acquisitions, resulting in successful expansion efforts.
- Served as a trusted advisor to the board of directors, providing critical insights into governance issues and shareholder relations.
- Led merger and acquisition due diligence investigations and handled integration legal aspects.
- Evaluated proposed legislative changes impacting business operations, proactively updating internal policies to maintain compliance with new requirements.
- Reviewed marketing materials for accuracy and adherence to advertising guidelines, ensuring brand reputation remained uncompromised.
- Supported mergers and acquisitions activity through thorough due diligence reviews, identifying potential liabilities early in the negotiation process.
- Researched and interpreted laws, rulings and regulations to advise clients on business and legal transactions.
- Optimized contract management processes by maintaining organized databases tracking key milestones throughout negotiations.
General Counsel
Super Stop Petroleum, Inc
01.2002 - 01.2006
- Counseled management on acquisitions and operations, negotiated contracts, and directed construction management initiatives.
- Successfully resolved numerous disputes through skillful mediation, preventing costly litigation and preserving business relationships.
- Counseled senior management and CEO on issues related to all aspects of the gas station and convenience store acquisition, operations, policy and procedure, development, zoning, environmental studies, site selection, sale, and IP asset protection.
- Negotiated and drafted real estate leases, business purchase agreements, asset sale agreements, HR manuals, company policy and procedure regulations, and contracts for conditional sale of property with business leases.
- Directed construction management initiatives in support of office buildings, strip malls, c-stores, gas stations, and light residential.
- Negotiated annexation agreement with the City of Orlando for partially developed land consisting of the largest Subco gas station in the state of Florida.
Education
J.D. - Law
Thurgood Marshall School of Law
Houston, TX12.1996
Skills
- Real Estate Transactions
- Regulatory & Compliance
- Government Relations
- Start-Ups
- Joint Venture Partnerships
- HR Oversight
- Crisis Management
- Scaling Business
- Cost Control
- Multi-site Operations
- Negotiation
- Contracting
- Due Diligence
- Civil Litigation
- Administrative Hearings
- Business Strategy
- AML Training
- Strategic Thinking
- Compliance Management
- Legal Research
- Data privacy
- Corporate transactions
- Litigation Management
- Employment law
- Real Estate Law
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Corporate Governance
- Transactional law
- Trial experience
- Evaluating contracts
- Case analysis
- Legal Analysis
- Document Preparation
- Legal Compliance
Bar Licenses
Florida
Indiana
Timeline
General Counsel
MSIA Oculus Technologies, LLC
01.2020 - Current
Partner
LS Carlson Law
01.2020 - 01.2020
VP & Senior Legal Counsel
Sovereign Health Group
01.2015 - 01.2020
Director of Healthcare Department
Toral Law, P.A
01.2014 - 01.2015
Chief Executive Officer and Attorney
H.E.R.O. Healthy Florida, LLC
01.2010 - 01.2014
General Counsel
Otter Creek Management and Investments, Inc
01.2006 - 01.2010
General Counsel
Super Stop Petroleum, Inc
01.2002 - 01.2006
J.D. - Law
Thurgood Marshall School of Law
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