Professional Experience

Smitha’s practice involves both civil litigation and transactional work. She works with clients across industries on real estate, employment, privacy, and other commercial matters. Prior to joining Helsell Fetterman, Smitha worked to defend domestic and international manufacturers in complex products liability litigation and represented manufacturers in commercial litigation matters through trial.

Before litigation, Smitha worked in public policy. After obtaining her Bachelor’s Degree from University of California, Berkeley in Public Health, she worked to champion youth-centered policies at the local, state, and federal levels. While obtaining her J.D. at the University of Washington, she counseled large hospitals on regulatory compliance through the Northwest Justice Project’s Medical Legal Partnership. She also worked on model legislation on biometric privacy and published scholarship on the patentability of genetic technologies at international law. As Editor-in-Chief of the Washington Journal of Law, Technology & Arts, she worked to make legal scholarship on technology, arts, and intellectual property more accessible to members of the public.

Smitha has leveraged her background in public policy to scan for legislative developments and advise clients on regulatory compliance. She takes a ground-up organizational approach, helping clients build systems that leave room for long-term growth and adaptability in rapidly evolving areas of regulation. Smitha has also represented clients in cybersecurity breach litigation, which informs her approach to advisory work. She believes that it is important to tap into clients’ lived and technical experience to advocate for them effectively.

Outside of the practice of law, Smitha serves on the Board of the South Asian Bar Association of Washington. She enjoys cooking, swimming, and reading science fiction

Professional Affiliations

  • South Asian Bar Association of Washington
  • Washington State Bar Association
  • King County Bar Association

Admitted to Practice

  • Washington State

Publications

Content by Smitha Gundavajhala