Michelle Smith

As an experienced litigator for over 30 years, Michelle Smith understands how important it is to provide her clients with honest and practical advice and a balanced perspective as they navigate the turbulent waters of complicated divorce, custody, marital property, alimony, child support and domestic violence issues. Michelle works hard to educate her clients about the law and process on which they are embarking together in an effort to empower each individual to implement appropriate short and long term strategies.

After over 20 years as an Assistant State’s Attorney at the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office and over 10 years representing clients from all walks of life in the private practice of family law, Michelle has developed a reputation as a respected advocate, negotiator, and litigator. While a prosecutor, Michelle handled thousands of cases before Judges in both District and Circuit Courts, from Assaults and Violations of Protective Orders to complex Homicides. Throughout her career, Michelle has built a solid foundation based on her knowledge of the law and rules of evidence, attention to detail, ability to accurately read others, understanding of trial strategy and advocacy skills which are fundamental to her success in achieving her client’s objectives.

Michelle spent years formulating relationships with local police officers, Judges, prosecutors, fellow lawyers and other members of the community, many of whom refer her clients on a regular basis.  For over 15 years, she served on the Board of Directors of the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence and chaired the legislative committee for several years. She has been a long-standing member of the Board of Trustees of the Anne Arundel County Bar Association as well as an active member of the Maryland State Bar Association Family and juvenile Law Section Council, which directs Family Law policies and practices statewide.

For several years, Michelle has been the chair of the legislative sub-committee of the MSBA Section Council; regularly testifying before both the House and Senate regarding proposed Family Law legislation in our state. Michelle Smith was honored to be the advocate on behalf of the Maryland State Bar Association leading to the Maryland Legislature’s 2023 passage of the House and Senate bills which reformed Maryland Divorce law to no longer require fault grounds for divorce complaints as of October 1, 2023. During the 2025 legislative session, Michelle was honored to advocate on behalf of the MSBA to win the passage of bills that codified the Child Custody Factors that Judges will now use to determine the best interests of Maryland children in disputes over legal and physical custody. Michelle has travelled the state providing training to family law attorneys through various bar associations on the implementation of several important new family law statutes and has been interviewed several times by the Daily Record.

Michelle has received numerous awards recognizing her work in the area of Family and Domestic Violence and has been honored by two of Maryland’s Governors with the Governor’s Citation for Outstanding Service to Maryland Crime Victims. In 2023, Michelle was appointed by Governor Wes Moore to serve as a member of the Trial Courts Judicial Nominating Commission for Anne Arundel County, Maryland.  In 2024, Michelle was honored to be named to The Daily Record’s: The Powerlist for Family Law.

For several consecutive years, Michelle has been selected to the list of Maryland Super Lawyer and has also been listed in Martindale-Hubble’s Bar Register of Pre-Eminent Lawyers, among the select lawyers who have earned the AV peer review Highest Possible Rating in both Legal Ability & Ethical Standards.

As a partner at Trainor, Billman, Bennett, Milko & Smith, Michelle has proven that she can successfully negotiate a resolution that benefits her client, while being fully prepared to present an effective case in Court. She appreciates the complex emotional, financial and logistical stressors involved with family law cases and is able to provide sound legal advice and persuasive advocacy for her clients when they most need a strong voice. Michelle is a tireless advocate for each of her clients, their children and the principals they value most, as demonstrated by her many satisfied clients. As demonstrated by this AVVO review posted by Jessica in 2026: