Brande S. Smith is an accomplished higher-education attorney and strategic advisor with nearly 15 years of in-house experience at the University of Florida- the flagship public research university for the state of Florida. She advises colleges, universities, and public entities on complex legal, regulatory, and risk-management matters.
Prior to joining DownsAaron, Brande served as Senior Counsel at the University of Florida, where she provided legal counsel to the University and its Board of Trustees on a variety of topics including constitutional issues, academic and student conduct matters, threat assessment and campus safety, policy and regulation development, business-related operations, public relations, legal and regulatory compliance, and risk management.
Brande brings extensive expertise in institutional compliance, including Florida public records law, privacy and data-sharing, ADA and Title IX, and transactional matters related to academic programs and business operations, including student housing, enrollment management, procurement and the use of campus space. She regularly advises on evolving state and federal laws and guidance, executive and legislative inquiries, audits, and other high-stakes government-facing matters.
A significant component of Brande’s practice focuses on crisis management, campus safety, and reputational risk. She has extensive experience advising senior leadership during campus protests, politically sensitive campus events, and institutional crises, working closely with law enforcement, threat-assessment teams, governmental affairs liaisons, communication professionals and community partners.
Earlier in her career, Brande served as an Assistant State Attorney for the Eighth Judicial Circuit. Her criminal litigation experience continues to inform her strategic counsel to campus police departments, student conduct offices, and senior administrators.
In private practice, Brande serves as a trusted strategic partner to higher-education institutions and public entities seeking sophisticated legal guidance and creative problem solving combined with practical, operational insight. She provides full-service external in-house counsel support and purpose-driven consulting services to colleges and universities, and public entities in Florida and nationwide.