Grasford Smith, a partner and board member at Akerman, is a nationally recognized litigator representing Fortune 500 companies and government agencies in high-stakes disputes. Starting his career at a leading Wall Street law firm, he has secured multimillion-dollar settlements and dispositive wins. His practice spans private equity, energy, insurance, and sports, bringing a distinct industry perspective as a former boxing judge and referee. As a Florida Supreme Court-certified mediator, corporations frequently engage him to resolve complex disputes efficiently. He is consistently recognized by Best Lawyers for commercial litigation and by Lawdragon as a “Top 500 Lawyer in America.” A graduate of Leadership Florida, he was also named a “Top 500 Business Leader” by Florida Trend and “Corporate Executive of the Year” by Legacy Magazine.
A seasoned board contributor and former business law professor, he has led audit, nominating, and governance committees, bringing a sophisticated understanding of corporate accountability to his advisory work backed by executive education in business strategy from Cornell University and emerging leadership from the Harvard Kennedy School. With a background as a computer programmer and advanced training in AI and cybersecurity from Stanford Law School and Harvard, he integrates technology into modern litigation strategy. He has also published and spoken widely on legal, business, and governance issues.
Grasford serves as the National Bar Association’s vice president of finance, where he directs the financial strategy of the organization representing almost 70,000 attorneys and judges nationwide. A member of the Florida Bar Board of Governors, he helps oversee more than 112,000 attorneys and serves as Communications Committee chair-elect and Corporate Counsel Committee vice chair. In Palm Beach County, he led the Palm Beach County Bar Association, Black Chamber of Commerce, and American Heart Association.
A recognized trailblazer in the legal community, Grasford made history as the first Black equity partner in his previous firm’s over 100-year history. He is also a life member and former national assistant general counsel of Alpha Phi Alpha and past Sire Archon (president) of the Epsilon Lambda Boulé of Sigma Pi Phi.
Grasford earned his Juris Doctor from NYU Law School on a Dean’s Scholarship, and was awarded the Vanderbilt Medal, one of the law school’s highest honors, for outstanding contributions to the law school. He also served as Constitutional Law and Lawyering teaching assistant; Journal of Law & Business founding executive editor; and received the NYU President’s Leadership Award.
He received a Bachelor of Science, summa cum laude, in Management Information Systems from FSU College of Business, where he served as MIS Association president; Macroeconomics teaching assistant; and was inducted into Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and Seminole Torchbearers for outstanding student leaders. Grasford now serves on the FSU College of Business Executive Committee, where he helps to steer the strategic direction of the college.