Litigation Partner Grasford Smith has received the President's Award of Merit from The Florida Bar in recognition of his outstanding service as Vice Chair of the Bar's Corporate Counsel Committee.

Presented by outgoing Florida Bar President Rosalyn Sia Baker-Barnes during the Bar's 2026 Annual Convention, the President's Award of Merit recognizes lawyers whose exceptional leadership and service have advanced the mission of The Florida Bar and strengthened the legal profession. Grasford was honored alongside fellow members of the Corporate Counsel Committee for helping establish and lead one of the Bar's newest statewide committees, which supports the professional development and engagement of Florida's in-house counsel community.

As Vice Chair of the Corporate Counsel Committee, Grasford helped guide the committee's strategic direction during its inaugural year, supporting educational programming, professional networking opportunities, and initiatives designed to better serve corporate counsel across Florida. Under its leadership, the committee experienced significant growth while expanding resources and programming for in-house lawyers throughout the state.

A nationally recognized commercial litigator, Grasford serves on The Florida Bar's Board of Governors, where he is Communications Chair and a member of the Executive Committee. He also serves as Vice President of the National Bar Association, helping lead one of the nation's largest networks of Black attorneys and judges. In addition, he is certified by the Supreme Court of Florida as a Circuit Civil Mediator and represents Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and businesses in complex commercial disputes.

This latest recognition adds to a series of recent honors celebrating Grasford's leadership and service to the legal profession, including The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division's Cynthia Henry Duval Outreach Award and the National Bar Association's President's Award.