
1201 West Peachtree St. NW
Suite 610
Atlanta GA 30309
TEL: (470) 867-3045
FAX: (612) 336-9100



Practice Areas
- Bad Faith and Extra-Contractual Liability
- Breach of Contract
- Commercial Litigation
- eDiscovery
- Engineering and Construction
- General Liability Coverage and Defense
- Insurance
- Pandemic Claims and Litigation
- Property Insurance
Bar and Court Admissions
- State Court: Georgia
Education
- Emory University School of Law, J.D., with honors, 2015
- University of Tennessee, B.S., summa cum laude, 2011, Chancellor's Honors Program, Mortar Board National Honor Society
Kristian N. Smith
Kristian Smith's legal practice focuses on providing insurance coverage advice and representing insurers in litigation. She has experience with a variety of insurance coverage issues, including the defense of bad faith and breach of contract actions against insurers in both first-party and third-party claims, as well as pursuing declaratory judgment actions on behalf of domestic and international insurers. Kristian also represents insureds as appointed defense counsel in personal injury and premises liability claims.
Prior to joining Zelle, Kristian represented domestic and London insurers in disputes involving multiple lines of insurance. Kristian also has experience defending automotive manufacturers, medical device and pharmaceutical companies, and construction companies in complex litigation.
Representative Matters
Professional Liability
Represented Lloyd's Market and domestic liability insurance carriers in monitoring complex malpractice litigation against large U.S. law firms in a variety of practice areas.
Property Insurance
Represented insurers in coverage litigation with respect to property damage claims at commercial properties, arising from a variety of perils including hail, theft, fire, vandalism, windstorm, and flood.
Bad Faith and Extra-Contractual Liability
Represented insurer in litigation involving insurance coverage matters including breach of contract and bad faith.
Articles & Presentations
"Cyber Rulings Aren't Helping COVID Biz Interruption Cases" Law360, November 4, 2021, co-author
"Conflicts in Circuits’ Approach to Email Scams Hold Lessons," Insurance Law360, February 7, 2020, co-author
Professional Affiliations
- Georgia Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division
- Defense Research Institute