Smith-Butler helped guide the law library successfully through the final ABA accreditation process in 2010 and served as the library dean until December of 2017 when she moved over to the faculty full time.
Smith-Butler practiced law in Georgia and Nebraska between 1984 – 1992 as a solo and small firm practitioner as well as working for the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission. In 1993, she moved full time into the field of law librarianship. As a law librarian, she worked for the Atlanta law firm of Powell, Goldstein, Fraser & Murphy (now Bryan Cave), Georgia State University, and Nova Southeastern University. At NSU, she served as the assistant dean of the library from 2003 until 2009.