Elisa Smith Kodish is a partner with Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP and a member of the Firm's Litigation Group.  She practices in the Firm's Atlanta office in the area of civil litigation with a focus on product liability litigation, business litigation and franchise litigation.  Ms. Kodish represents manufacturers of a variety of products including pharmaceuticals and medical devices as well as automotive and construction equipment.  Ms. Kodish represents franchisors in the hotel industry with an emphasis on Lanham Act and system standards enforcement. Ms. Kodish actively defends numerous clients in Georgia state and federal courts and also serves as regional and national counsel for certain clients.

In 2009, 2010, and 2011 Ms. Kodish was recognized as a "Rising Star” in the Georgia Super Lawyers magazine honoring those deemed by the publication as the best lawyers under the age of 40. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Atlanta Legal Aid Society as well as on the board of the Georgia Appleseed Young Professionals Council. She is a registered neutral with the Georgia Supreme Court Office of Dispute Resolution and a trained Collaborative Law professional.  She is a 2008 graduate of the Georgia Association of Women Lawyers Leadership Academy and a member of the National Association for Women Lawyers. She serves on the Forum on Franchising Committee for the American Bar Association and is also a member of the Atlanta Bar Association and State Bar of Georgia. 

Ms. Kodish is the Pro Bono partner for the Atlanta office, facilitating and overseeing the Atlanta office's pro bono projects and commitments. After serving a four-month fellowship at the Atlanta Legal Aid Society in 2004, Ms. Kodish started a pro bono child advocacy project dedicated to helping at-risk children obtain access to and enforce their legal rights relating to Georgia's early intervention and special education services. Ms. Kodish received the Firm's 2005 Claude M. Scarborough, Jr. Award honoring her for her pro bono achievements, helped earn for Nelson Mullins the 2005 William B. Spann, Jr. Award, the State Bar's highest honor for pro bono contributions, and was written up for her child advocacy work in the Spring 2005 National Association for Women Lawyer's publication.  

In 1999, Ms. Kodish earned a Juris Doctor from the Emory University School of Law where she was Articles Editor for the Emory Bankruptcy Developments Journal and was awarded Best Student Comment.  Ms. Kodish earned a Master of Arts in Social Work in 1997 from the University of Michigan, as well as a Teaching Certificate in Secondary Education, and a Bachelor of Arts in English and Psychology, with High Distinction, in 1995.