The Honorable Winifred Y. Smith (Ret.)
Investment Committee Member – Consultant
The Honorable Winifred Y. Smith (Ret.) is a member of Omni Bridgeway’s US Investment Committee.
Throughout her distinguished career, Judge Smith served on the bench of the Alameda County Superior Court for 21 years adjudicating complex civil litigation matters. While on the bench, she was active in court leadership, which culminated in being selected as Presiding Judge. In managing a multitude of civil matters throughout the years, Judge Smith has encountered numerous questions of first impression and presided over product liability, class action, employment, construction defect, and Proposition 65 matters—among others. She also served as a Justice Pro Tem for the California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District, Division Four.
Prior to her career on the bench, Judge Smith was a Deputy Attorney General with the California Department of Justice’s Office of the Attorney General for 26 years. She has been recognized and honored by several legal organizations, including repeat recognition as a Jurist of Distinction by the Women Lawyers of Alameda County and Trial Judge of the Year by the American Board of Trial Advocates in 2021. She is also a recipient of the Judicial Excellence Award from the California Association of Black Lawyers.
Since retiring from the bench, Judge Smith is a neutral with ADR Services, Inc., a provider of alternative dispute resolution services in California. She teaches Civil Trial Practice at UC Berkeley, School of Law and also serves as a member of the Board for the Association of Business Trial Lawyers.
Judge Smith received her J.D. from Boston University School of Law and her B.A. from Stanford University.
