Betty Danquah-Smith
In the bustling streets of New York City, where dreams take flight and ambitions reach the stars, one attorney’s journey shines brighter than most. Betty Danquah-Smith, an Immigration Attorney with a Master of Laws Degree in Energy and Environmental Law, has catapulted herself from a small town in Ghana to the top of the legal world in Manhattan. Her story is a beacon of hope and resilience for young black women everywhere.
Betty’s rise from the modest town of Assin-Fosu in Ghana’s Central Region to becoming a standout lawyer in one of the globe’s most cutthroat markets is nothing short of extraordinary. In a candid chat with famed Ghanaian broadcaster Bola Ray at her law firm, Smithlaw Pllc, nestled in the heart of New York, she shared her journey, her struggles, and the unexpected twists that brought her to this pinnacle.
“It has been a hell of a journey, but God is good. He has seen us through it,” Betty reflected. Her words echo the sentiments of countless immigrants striving to carve out a place in a foreign land.
Betty confessed that law wasn’t her first love. “I’m a maths girl, and getting into law to start with sometimes baffles my mates and myself because the law wasn’t part of my thing.” It was her father’s dream, one she initially pursued out of respect but soon fell passionately in love with after her first year in law school.
Her educational journey is a globe-trotting adventure. From an LLB at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana to a Barrister at Law from the Ghana School of Law, and finally an LLM from UC Berkeley, her credentials are as impressive as they are diverse. “I did my masters in energy as well. I have two masters,” she proudly noted. She is also a proud alumna of Mfantsiman Girls Secondary School.
Professionally, Betty’s resume sparkles. Called to the Ghana Bar in 2015, she served as an Assistant State Attorney from 2016 to 2018. She then made a bold leap across the Atlantic, being called to the New York Bar in 2022 and to the US Federal Court in the Southern District of New York. Now, as the Founder and Senior Partner of Smithlaw Pllc, a top immigration law firm, she focuses on family-based immigration, reuniting families with passion and precision.
What sets Betty apart isn’t just her qualifications, but her refreshing outlook on life. “I’m more of a ‘take a day at a time’,” she said, a rare attitude in a world obsessed with long-term planning. This mantra, coupled with her unwavering faith, has guided her through every twist and turn of her journey.
Her advice to young, aspiring professionals, especially young black women, is pure gold: “I’ll just say they should relax because sometimes you get confused growing up, we all did. We were all confused at a point in time, but a day at a time will do.” She stressed the importance of surrounding oneself with good company and positive influences.
Betty Danquah-Smith’s incredible journey from the small town of Assin-Fosu to the towering skyscrapers of New York is a testament to what can be achieved with determination, faith, and a willingness to embrace life’s unpredictability. As she continues to make her mark in the legal world, reuniting families and breaking barriers, she remains an inspiration to young black women worldwide. Her story is not just one of personal triumph but a shining example of what’s possible with grit and grace.
About The Author
