Tyler Nicole Smith manages the Veterans Justice Center.

For the Veterans Justice Center, Tyler Nicole supervises and works with passionate advocates who lead the charge in fighting for veterans’ advocacy, providing direct representation to Veterans from all eras and their families, and operating legal clinics to help our Veterans receive their deserved government benefits, overcome barriers to employment and housing, and prevent Veteran homelessness.

Prior to becoming Managing Attorney of the Veterans Justice Center, Tyler Nicole was a staff attorney for LAFLA’s Project imPACT, a wraparound reentry program providing legal services, behavioral health services, job training, and job placement to Los Angeles residents who are currently on probation and parole, where she focused on removing legal barriers caused by their criminal backgrounds. Specifically, she represented clients on an array of issues ranging from criminal record clearing, employment, family law, and occupational licensing appeals.

Prior to joining LAFLA, Tyler Nicole was a staff attorney at the Legal Aid Society of Orange County’s Clean Slate Unit focusing on post-conviction relief. There she provided full scope representation to clients seeking all forms of post-conviction relief. Additionally, she developed the organization’s first Clean Slate training manual and supervised LASOC’s and UC Irvine’s Clean Slate Clinic. During her time there, Tyler Nicole worked with other SoCal advocates to put on Orange County’s first-ever Mega Expungement Clinic, where more than 500 clients were assisted with clearing their criminal record.

Before beginning her career in nonprofit legal services, Tyler Nicole served as a criminal defense attorney defending adult and juvenile defendants in felony and misdemeanor, DUI, rape, assault, drug, and theft cases.

Tyler Nicole obtained her bachelor’s degree in economics from Spelman College in Atlanta, and received her Juris Doctorate with a concentration in trial and appellate advocacy from Suffolk University Law School in Boston. Tyler Nicole has served as a presenter and facilitator for the Watts Labor Community Action Committee Know Your Rights Seminar Series, NLADA Annual Conference, and the Department of Mental Health Community Health Workers Training Series.