Top 100 U.S. law firm Akerman LLP is pleased to announce that Litigation partners Michael Marsh and Grasford Smith have been featured among Lawdragon's 500 Leading Lawyers in America. Marsh has been listed since 2018 and Smith has been listed since 2021. The list recognizes top litigators, dealmakers, plaintiffs’ lawyers and voting rights advocates, who inspire with their leadership, their vision of the rule of law and its relationship to the nation's people, governance and economies. Lawdragon selected the lawyers from journalistic research, submissions by firms and clients, and vetting by peers.
An experienced first chair trial lawyer and trusted counselor, Marsh represents clients in high stakes business disputes and provides strategic input and guidance on business issues. With a wide-ranging litigation practice in federal and state courts throughout the United States, he is a go-to resource for clients engaged in disputes involving sophisticated commercial contracts, securities and other class action defense, proxy contests, shareholders, antitrust, Mergers & Acquisitions, private equity, and D&O liability. Recognized by Chambers and Benchmark Litigation as a Litigation Star, Marsh has served as lead trial counsel in many jury and bench trials across the country on behalf of clients in various industries.
Outside of the courtroom, clients turn to Marsh for counsel on day-to-day operations, high value employment matters, major restructurings, and navigating corporate governance and compliance issues, including federal and state agency investigations.
Marsh is a member of our firm's Executive Committee, a member of the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC), past chair of Akerman's Equality and Inclusion Committee, a fellow of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, and the chair of Friends of South Florida Autism.
Smith focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation matters and is certified by the Supreme Court of Florida as a Circuit Civil Mediator. He has significant experience representing a diverse range of clients, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, athletic leagues, technology companies, and a U.S. Congressman, in addition to a variety of small and medium-sized businesses, and has resolved numerous multi-million dollar disputes.
Outside of his practice, Smith holds several professional leadership roles in the community and the Bar. These roles include him having served on the Magistrate Judge Merit Selection Panel, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, West Palm Beach; serving as President-Elect Designate of the Palm Beach County Bar Association; serving as Chair of the Minority Partners in Majority Firms Division of the National Bar Association; serving as a Board Member for St. Thomas University Law School; and serving as President of the Black Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beach County.
Smith also serves as Practice Group Leader of Litigation in the West Palm Beach Office of Akerman.
About Akerman
Akerman LLP is a top 100 U.S. law firm recognized among the most forward-thinking firms in the industry by Financial Times. Its more than 700 lawyers and business professionals collaborate with the world’s most successful enterprises and entrepreneurs to navigate change, seize opportunities, and help drive innovation and growth.