Aisha Smith

She/Her

Counsel

Admitted to practice in Washington D.C. and Wisconsin. Supervised by partners in the Chicago office.

There's always a path forward. Let's work together to find it.

Aisha provides sound transactional and regulatory advice to a broad clientele in the financial services sector, including banks, nondepository financial institutions, loan servicers, payment processors, and fintechs. She has extensive experience guiding clients through complex matters before state banking regulators, federal agencies, and congressional committees.

In addition to handling government inquiries, Aisha leverages her knowledge of federal and state laws regarding higher education, consumer lending, and commercial lending to help clients navigate complex challenges and deliver innovative products. She also offers insight on emerging law, including in the cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence, and alternative lending spaces.

Practice Highlights

Regulatory supervision and enforcement

Counsels clients navigating CFPB, FDIC and state inquiries, including proactive risk mitigation, drafting and management of responses, interview preparation, and resolution of findings.

Loan origination and servicing

Counsels clients navigating multistate and interagency requirements for consumer and commercial loans. Advises banks, lenders, servicers, payment processors, and fintechs on licensing strategy and implementation.

Education finance

Counsels clients on creating and managing education finance programs, including student loans, income share agreements, and grants.

Admitted to Practice

District of Columbia
Wisconsin
U.S. Supreme Court

Education

J.D., University of Wisconsin Law School
B.S., Northwestern University

Memberships & Affiliations

- Co-chair, Private Practice Subcommittee, Women's Bar Association, 2023-present
- Voting member, Education Committee, Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund, 2021-present
- Fellows of the American Bar Foundation, District of Columbia Fellow, 2019-present
- Director, Student Loan Servicing Alliance Board, 2020-2021
- Director, Unity Point–Meriter Hospital Board, 2019-2021
- Member, Safe Community's African American Opioid Coalition Advisory Board, 2017-2019

Background

- Counsel, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner
- Director, Regulatory and Compliance Counsel, Nelnet
- Associate Counsel, Great Lakes Higher Education Corporation

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