Shakierah Smith was born and raised in Rochester, NY and graduated from School Without Walls in 2014. She has a bachelor’s degree in communication and criminal justice (Class of 2018) and a master’s degree in criminal justice (Class of 2019), both of which she received from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). On May 14, 2022, she graduated from the University at Buffalo School of Law with her Juris Doctor. During law school, Shakierah founded the First-Generation Law Students Association (FGLSA), was the first Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Editor of the Buffalo Law Review, a Faculty Research Scholar, Peer-to-Peer Advocate, Student Ambassador, Admitted Student Mentor, and a general member of the Black Law Students Association (BLSA). She also interned for the United States Attorney’s Office and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, which is the second highest court in the U.S. In October of 2022, Shakierah passed the New York State bar exam, on her first try, with a score high enough to practice in any UBE jurisdiction. She has since moved to New York City and now practices commercial real estate at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, a big law firm nationally known for its prestigious Real Estate practice group. Her ultimate goal is to become a judge and help others similar to herself reach their professional goals.