Vanessa Smith McTier, Esq. is principal and National Managing Counsel of Vantage Solutions LLC, a national employment law and workplace strategies consulting firm. Prior to founding Vantage Solutions LLC in 1998, Ms. Smith McTier practiced law with the national law firm of Gardner, Carton & Douglas and the international law firm of Winston & Strawn. There, she developed an expertise in litigating employment practice lawsuits, counseling large and small employers on compliance with laws affecting the workplace and preparing employment-related policies, procedures and employment contracts.

Vantage Solutions LLC specializes in providing large and small businesses with proactive and preemptive legal and human resources advice and counsel on workplace matters. This practice utilizes Ms. Smith McTier’s extensive knowledge of employment litigation to assist clients in preparing for and avoiding such litigation. Her practice focuses on creating and implementing legal and practical workplace strategies that result in high performance and productivity. This includes advice and counsel regarding daily employment decisions, preparation of employment policies and procedures and appropriate education and training on such topics as diversity in the workplace, discrimination and harassment. Ms. Smith McTier also investigates and mediates workplace conflicts to assist employers in making prompt, effective and defensible employment decisions.

Ms. Smith McTier speaks frequently on the legal and business aspects of workplace issues and has been a guest presenter on various employment topics before the Price-Waterhouse CFO Forum, the ADP Professionals Forum, the Metropolitan Chicago Cultural Human Resources Group and was a presenter for the 54th Annual SHRM Conference in June, 2002. She has taught courses related to Human Resources and Employment Law, including PHR and SPHR certification classes, for Keller Graduate School of Management, Northern Illinois University and DePaul University and was recently a featured employment law and workplace expert for The Career Elevator.

Ms. Smith McTier is active in the legal and human resource communities, and has served as a member of the National Human Resources Development Committee for the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and on the Human Resources Advisory Board of Northern Illinois University. She is active with the Illinois State Council and a member of the Society of Human Resource Professionals (SHRP) and the Human Resources Management Association of Chicago (HRMAC). She also is active in the Chicago Bar Association and the Black Women Lawyers Association of Greater Chicago.

Ms. Smith McTier received her Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School and her undergraduate degree in Economics from Howard University. She can be reached at 312.440.0602 or via email at vsmith@vantage-solutions.com.