Smith has a diverse background spanning prosecution, defense, civil litigation, and government service:

• Prosecution: Brief service as an Assistant Attorney General (handling criminal appeals and representing the Wyoming Department of Corrections). She also served two stints as a prosecutor in the Laramie County District Attorney’s Office (totaling approximately four years) and supervised attorneys there.

• Defense work: Approximately four years as a public defender in state court, plus court-appointed federal defense work. She maintained roughly 20 years of private criminal defense practice in both state and federal courts.

• Private practice: Worked at her parents’ firm and operated her own firm, Ericka S. Smith LLC, in Cheyenne for about five years. Her civil practice included defending medical malpractice cases, large insurance claims, and professional licensing matters.

• Other roles: Worked at the Petroleum Association of Wyoming and served as Associate General Counsel at the University of Wyoming, where she handled policy writing, contract review, and liability issues — experience directly relevant to county attorney responsibilities. She also managed employees and HR matters in prior supervisory roles.

She is a member of the Wyoming State Bar, Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and other professional organizations. Client reviews on platforms like Avvo highlight her as compassionate, effective, and highly recommended, with a perfect 5.0 rating.