Nationwide Legal Talent Initiative Taps Sheryl Roberts for Leadership Role

Smith Anderson’s Legal Recruiting Manager, Sheryl Roberts, has been appointed Co-Chair of the National Association for Law Placement’s (NALP) newly established Small & Mid-Sized Law Firm Interest Group for the 2025-2026 term. The group provides a national platform to address the unique challenges and priorities of smaller firms and is a step toward potentially becoming a formal section within NALP.

Sheryl is charged with fostering engagement, encouraging knowledge exchange and providing insights to NALP’s Board on behalf of small and mid-sized firms nationwide. The new Interest Group launched following a successful proposal co-authored by Sheryl and Jennifer Lucas-Ross of Morris James and officially debuted at the 2025 NALP Annual Education Conference in Cleveland.

Recognizing that professionals at small and mid-sized firms often wear multiple hats—spanning recruiting, professional development, education, wellness and training—Sheryl played a leading role in consolidating existing working groups under one umbrella. Her efforts began while serving as Co-Chair of a small firm working group under NALP’s Recruiting Section, where she identified the challenges of overlapping content and scheduling across multiple groups. She worked closely with section leaders and the NALP Board to advocate for a more unified structure to better support professionals in similarly resourced firms.

"Sheryl has long been a connector and a champion for collaboration within the legal recruiting community," said Blake Fricks, Smith Anderson’s Chief Talent Officer and Attorney. "This appointment is a reflection of her thoughtful leadership and the respect she’s earned nationally. We’re thrilled to see her help lead this important initiative."

Sheryl brings more than 30 years of law firm experience, most of it at Smith Anderson, and currently serves as President of the Triangle Area Legal Recruitment Association (TALRA). Her dedication to professional community-building and advocacy continues to make a lasting impact on the legal recruiting field.

About NALP

NALP is an association of over 3000 legal career professionals who advise law students, lawyers, law offices and law schools in North America and beyond. NALP is dedicated to the success of its members and the promotion of knowledge and expertise about the legal employment market.