Verrill Attorney Elizabeth Connellan Smith Elected President of National Workers’ Compensation Defense Network

PORTLAND, Maine (September 28, 2022) – Verrill attorney Elizabeth Connellan Smith was recently elected President of National Workers’ Compensation Defense Network (NWCDN). Smith has been a member of the NWCDN since 2006, she was first elected to the Executive Board in 2018 and as secretary in 2019. She has served as Vice President since 2020.

“It is a great pleasure to assume the role of President of the Board of the National Workers’ Compensation Defense Network, although I have some big shoes to fill considering the tremendous leadership of prior Presidents,” Smith said. “I hope to continue the work begun over the years of growing recognition of our organization, it’s commitment to excellence in representing and counseling our clients, as well as growing the resources we make available to our clients.”

The NWCDN is a network of law firms dedicated to protecting employers in workers’ compensation cases with law firms in over 45 states and Canada. The attorney members collaborate regularly not only for educational and networking opportunities, but also to serve the needs of larger clients. Smith went on to explain more about the NWCDN, saying, “The National Workers’ Compensation Defense Network is a network of AV-rated law firms dedicated to providing the best defense counsel, advice, and representation to our employer-clients. We offer an invitation-only seminar each year dedicated to educating our clients on emerging issues in workers’ compensation and we author the LexisNexis Emerging Issues In Workers’ Compensation analysis treatise each year.”

Smith has just completed a year as the Chair of the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Trial and Insurance Practice Workers’ Compensation and Employers’ Liability Committee, she serves on the Board of Governors for the American Bar Association’s (ABA) College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers, and she is an ABA College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers fellow. Smith has a wealth of experience and knowledge in workers’ compensation law. Over the course of her 29 years of practice, she has litigated numerous labor and employment law matters, primarily defending claims brought against Maine employers. Smith is a regular speaker and author on workers’ compensation issues, including for Verrill’s labor and employment blog, Taking Care of HR Business.