Grasford Smith is an Akerman board member, partner, and nationally recognized commercial litigator and institutional governance leader. He represents Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, financial institutions, insurers, and professional sports organizations and athletes in high-stakes commercial disputes and complex contractual matters. He began his legal career at a leading Wall Street law firm after working at Goldman Sachs on firmwide policy initiatives and with a judge on the Bronx Supreme Court during law school. He later became the first Black equity partner in the century-long history of his prior firm. A Florida Supreme Court-certified mediator, Grasford has achieved multimillion-dollar settlements and favorable outcomes in complex matters across industries and jurisdictions. He has been repeatedly recognized among Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Lawyers in America and by Best Lawyers for Commercial Litigation.
A graduate of the Wharton Advanced Management Program at the University of Pennsylvania, Grasford’s practice and leadership sit at the intersection of law, business, technology, and institutional risk. A former computer programmer, he earned his Bachelor of Science, summa cum laude, in Management Information Systems from the Florida State University College of Business, where he served as president of its student association for his major. He earned his Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law, where he was a Dean’s Scholar, Constitutional Law and Lawyering teaching assistant, Vanderbilt Medal recipient, and co-founder and inaugural executive editor of the NYU Journal of Law & Business. His executive education includes programs in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, business strategy, and leadership at Stanford, Harvard, and Cornell.
Grasford’s governance leadership spans the legal profession, higher education, and national professional organizations. He currently serves as a trustee of NYU School of Law, an Executive Committee member of The Florida Bar Board of Governors, vice president of finance for the National Bar Association, and an FSU College of Business Executive Board member. Having chaired audit, finance, nominating, and governance committees across multiple sectors, he has received multiple Presidential Awards from The Florida Bar and the National Bar Association, including the Clyde Bailey Award for Corporate Leadership.
His broader professional and civic contributions have also earned significant recognition. Florida Trend named him one of Florida’s Top 500 Business Leaders, and Legacy Magazine recognized him as Corporate Executive of the Year. A Leadership Florida graduate, former business law professor, published author, and frequent speaker, Grasford addresses legal, business, technology, and governance issues. His civic leadership has included serving as president of the Palm Beach County Bar Association and the Black Chamber of Commerce, chairing the board of the American Heart Association of Palm Beach County, and holding national and regional leadership roles within Alpha Phi Alpha and Sigma Pi Phi.
As a former boxing judge and referee, Grasford brings the same disciplined, real-time judgment to complex disputes and institutional decision-making. His career reflects the integration of legal advocacy, executive governance, technology, and civic leadership to address complex challenges for corporations and their leaders navigating the highest levels of law and business.