Company Description

We are not a typical law firm. Smith & Meadows is a boutique business law firm built for entrepreneurs — the kind of attorneys who show up sharp, speak plainly, and fight hard for the people behind every deal. We are looking for an associate who brings real legal skill, genuine hustle, and the kind of character that makes clients feel both understood and protected. If you're looking for a nameless seat at a big firm, this is not the role. If you want to do meaningful work alongside a tight-knit team that holds itself to a high standard — read on.

Role Description

This is a full-time on-site role for an Associate Lawyer located in Tyrone, GA. The Associate Lawyer will be responsible for the following:

• Serve as day-to-day counsel for business owner clients across contracts, employment, and general commercial
• Draft, review, and negotiate agreements including operating agreements, service contracts, employment policies, and vendor agreements
• Support M&A transactions — from LOIs and due diligence through closing documentation and post-close obligations
• Conduct legal hygiene audits: identifying risk exposure, compliance gaps, and structural vulnerabilities in client businesses
• Assist in insurance dispute strategy and claims recovery for clients in high-risk industries (tree service, construction, trades)
• Communicate directly with clients — translating complex legal concepts into plain, actionable guidance
• Collaborate closely with firm principals on strategy, positioning, and long-term client protection

Qualifications & Skills:

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
• Licensed to practice law in Georgia or eligible for admission.
• 2 to 5 years of experience in business, transactional, or commercial law.
• Hands-on drafting experience — contracts, operating agreements, employment docs
• Comfortable working directly with clients, not just behind the scenes
• Strong writer and communicator — clear, confident, no fluff
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team.
• Eager to learn and develop litigation skills with mentorship and training.

Nice to Have:

• M&A or business sale transactions, including PE-side deal exposure.
• Experience advising blue-collar, service, or trade-based businesses.
• HR/employment matters including handbook development and dispute resolution.
• Insurance claim strategy or commercial dispute work.
• Client-facing role at a small or boutique firm.

This role is not for everyone.

Those who will not thrive here:

• Attorneys who need hand-holding or are uncomfortable with ambiguity in a growing boutique environment
• Those who look down on blue-collar or "unglamorous" industries — our clients build real things, and we respect that deeply
•  Lawyers who communicate in jargon and bill by confusion — our clients deserve clarity, not complexity for its own sake
• People who clock in, do the task, and clock out — this role requires genuine investment in client outcomes
• Anyone who can't adapt quickly, take ownership, or have a direct conversation when it matters