Ralph H. Smith II

Ralph Smith is special counsel in the Corporate Practice Group. He handles general corporate and business matters, international transactions, healthcare, higher education, and NCAA compliance. Prior to joining Jones Walker, Ralph spent 25 years in private law practice in Washington, DC, and Birmingham before joining the University of Alabama System in 2004 as general counsel and member of the Chancellor's Senior Policy staff. Ralph also served the university as a distinguished lecturer of law and special advisor for international trade and economic development. Throughout his career, Ralph has been an officer, director, or trustee of numerous educational, charitable, and civic organizations. Among his most lasting, widespread contributions, Ralph is actively involved in the Association of American Rhodes Scholars, for which he served as president from 2016–2020. Ralph is a Rhodes Scholar himself and recipient of an MA in politics, philosophy, and economics from Oxford University. From 2004–2018, Ralph was responsible for the Rhodes Scholarship selection process across the southeastern United States, including Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and the American Caribbean. He also served as chancellor of the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama from 2000 to 2003. In addition to his law practice, Ralph serves as president and chief executive officer of The Ralph Smith Group (www.ralphsmithgroup.com), a global consulting company for business and higher education. He has helped lead delegations to Asia, Europe, and South America regularly since 2011 to advance academic collaboration and economic development. Ralph is also a co-founder of the Global Innovation Alliance, a consortium of business, academic, and government institutions in Asia, Europe, and North and South America to promote innovation and entrepreneurship. He was appointed by Queen Elizabeth II in 2013 to the Order of St. John, an Order of Chivalry of the British Crown with historical roots in the 11th century Knights Hospitaller and Knights of Malta.