9 7 , ▁Judge ▁Smith ▁received ▁The ▁College ▁of ▁William ▁and ▁Mary ▁Al umn i ▁Med all ion , ▁the ▁highest ▁award ▁the ▁William ▁and ▁Mary ▁Al umn i ▁Association ▁can ▁best ow ▁on ▁a ▁gradu ate ▁of ▁the ▁College ▁of ▁William ▁and ▁Mary . ▁ ▁Professional ▁career ▁ ▁After ▁ear ning ▁her ▁M . A . ▁degree , ▁Smith ▁was ▁a ▁planning ▁anal yst ▁for ▁En vi ro - Med , ▁Inc . ▁in ▁Washington , ▁D . C ., ▁and ▁La ▁J ol la , ▁California ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 4 . ▁She ▁then ▁was ▁a ▁research ▁associate ▁for ▁the ▁National ▁Academy ▁of ▁Science , ▁Institute ▁of ▁Medicine ▁in ▁Washington , ▁D . C . ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 7 . ▁After ▁she ▁graduated ▁from ▁law ▁school , ▁Smith ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁law ▁cl erk ▁in ▁private ▁practice ▁in ▁Nor folk , ▁Virginia . ▁She ▁then ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁law ▁cl erk ▁for ▁Judge ▁J . ▁Cal v itt ▁Clar ke , ▁Jr . ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁District ▁Court ▁for ▁the ▁Eastern ▁District ▁of ▁Virginia ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁She ▁was ▁again ▁in ▁the ▁private ▁practice ▁of ▁law ▁at ▁a ▁large ▁firm ▁in ▁Nor folk ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 5 . ▁Before ▁being ▁appointed ▁a ▁federal ▁district ▁judge , ▁she ▁was ▁a ▁United ▁States ▁Mag istr ate ▁for ▁the ▁Eastern