Joyce A. Smith, Esq

Joyce A. Smith, Esq., is an Executive Assistant District Attorney and Chief of the newly created Special Victims Division for the New York County District Attorney’s Office. The Division focuses on the prosecution of sex crimes, domestic violence, elder abuse, human trafficking and child abuse cases.

Ms. Smith previously served as the Acting Nassau County District Attorney, where she was the Chief Law Enforcement official serving Nassau’s 1.4 million residents. In that capacity, she led a staff of more than 450 attorneys, investigators and staff, investigating and prosecuting more than 30,000 cases annually.

She also served as the Executive Assistant District Attorney for the Community Relations Division of the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office since 2018, overseeing recruitment, immigrant affairs, victim services, school-based programming, and community affairs. She was an integral part of the NCDA’s Community Partnership Program (CPP) Office in Hempstead, which works to combat gang and gun violence and promote efforts to reduce recidivism and build safer communities. In this role, she spearheaded the creation of several advisory councils to engage leaders from a broad range of communities to foster trust and collaboration between police, prosecutors, and the communities they serve.

With a robust background in both criminal and civil justice, Ms. Smith served for four years as a staff attorney in the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights’ Office of the General Counsel, where she investigated and recommended best practices for police-community relations and law enforcement. She served three years as Executive Director for the Bronx Family Justice Center in New York City, as well as Assistant Commissioner/Deputy Chief of Staff for the Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence. She began her career as an Assistant District Attorney in Queens, where for 15 years, she specialized in prosecuting domestic violence cases. She was eventually elevated to the role of Unit Chief in the Special Prosecutions Division.

Currently, Ms. Smith is an Adjunct Professor at Hofstra University’s School of Law and at Nassau Community College, where she teaches various courses in law and criminal justice.

Ms. Smith was raised in Hollis, Queens, and is a graduate of Adelphi University and Howard University School of Law. She currently resides in Hempstead.