Abigail Smith > Latham & Watkins LLP > Washington DC, United States > Lawyer Profile

Latham & Watkins LLP
555 ELEVENTH STREET, NW, SUITE 1000
WASHINGTON DC 20004-1304
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
United States

Position

Abigail C. Smith represents clients in their highest stakes capital markets transactions, with a primary focus on the real estate investment trust (REIT), financial services, and hospitality industries.

Abigail draws on substantial experience to guide issuers and underwriters on SEC-registered and exempted capital markets transactions, including:

    • Initial public offerings (IPOs)
    • Preferred and common equity offerings
    • Debt offerings, including investment grade, high yield, and green bonds

Beyond the transactional context, Abigail cultivates trusted relationships with her clients to advise on ongoing disclosure, reporting, and broader corporate governance matters.

Abigail is a recognized thought leader in the capital markets space and has co-authored LexisNexis’ Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) Guide for Capital Markets and Equity Capital Markets in the USA.

She serves as a member of the board of directors of 826DC, a nonprofit organization that supports students ages 6 to 18 with developing their creative and expository writing skills and helps teachers inspire their students to write.

Before joining Latham, she was a partner at another global law firm, where she served on the firm’s US Opinions Committee and frequently contributed to client publications related to securities law developments.

Lawyer Rankings

United States > Real estate > Real estate investment trusts (REITs)

Per one client, Latham & Watkins LLP’s REIT team is ‘the best of the best’, maintaining its reputation of handling marquee REIT transactions and financings across all asset classes, particularly large-scale IPOs. Alongside its strong expertise in IPOs, the team has extensive experience in M&A and debt offerings. Leading the team in Los Angeles, Julian Kleindorfer distinguishes himself for advising REITs on the full breadth of corporate finance and securities matters including securities offerings and major joint ventures. In Century City, Ana O’Brien chiefly focuses on the tax aspects of REIT transactions and is relied on for her deep knowledge of the federal taxation of REITs. Highly sought-after capital markets expert Lewis Kneib is reputed for his prowess as outside counsel to prominent REIT companies, including data center REITs, and underwriters on debt and equity offerings. In the Washington DC office, Abigail Smith stands out for her work representing issuers and underwriters, while Brent Epstein and Craig Garner, found in Century City and San Diego respectively, also come recommended. William Cernius retired in 2024.