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Maximum professional impactW. Reece Smith Jr. (JD 49)BY SPENSER SOLISSmith“I was seekingto enhanceaccess to thelegal systemfor societalpurposes. Thepoor and thedisadvantageddid not havethat access.”With a legal career spanningmore than 50 years,William Reece Smith Jr.(JD 49) shows few signs of slowingdown.His impact on the legal professionand society as a whole hasbeen a lasting one achieved throughserving as president of The FloridaBar, the American Bar Association(ABA) and the International BarAssociation (IBA). Smith has alsoserved as attorney for the City ofTampa and president of the GreaterTampa Chamber of Commerce.“I am very devoted to the law andto the contributions that it can maketo a civilized society,” Smith said.Smith, who grew up in PlantCity, Fla., gained an understandingof the importance of helping othersfrom a grandmother who was fullyengaged in community affairs.“She was a very active woman,interested in literature and higherlearning,” he said. “She was a leaderand I observed her.”Upon graduating from the Universityof South Carolina, Smith wascommissioned by the Navy in 1946.While aboard ship, he read a book byHoward Fast about the pioneers’ relationshipwith the American Indian.“Reading Fast’s book about howwe mistreated the Indians raised mysocial consciousness,” he said.Smith came out of the servicein 1946 still unsure about what todo with his life. Although he wastrained as an engineer, he decidedagainst a career in math and sciences.“My gifts, if any, were in thehumanities, coming from the trainingthat my grandmother had givenme years before,” he said. “I decidedto go to law school and went to theUniversity of Florida.”Entering law school in 1946under the G.I. Bill, Smith didn’t immediatelycatch on to the lingo ofthe legal field.“When they talked to me abouta legal instrument, I was a bit befuddled,”he said. “An instrument to me,from my engineering training, was ascrewdriver or something like that.”At UF Law, Smith served aspresident of the Student Bar Associationand was selected as a member ofFlorida Blue Key.During his senior year, a professorurged him to apply for a RhodesScholarship.“I thought it would be wise todo what my professor suggested,”he said. “To my surprise, I was selected.”Before heading to Oxford, Smithstarted a law office as a sole practitionerin Plant City with only his lawbooks and a vacant office. He hadonly one client who paid him a fee.“There was no public defenderin those days and no organized legalaid, so I defended indigents accusedof crime.”After studying private internationallaw at Oxford, he was invitedby Dean Henry A. Fenn to teach atUF Law.“I taught for over a year and thenI was recruited by the firm that I’mstill with, Carlton Fields,” Smith said.Smith became curious about theABA at the beginning of his career.“Nobody at Carlton Fields at thattime was a member of the ABA,” hesaid. “A lot of lawyers weren’t.”The ABA has continued to growin importance and now plays a powerfulrole in improving the legal fieldas the national voice of the profession,Smith said.“It certainly has an influence onlawyer conduct and lawyer training,”he said.When he first became involvedwith the ABA, Smith joined whatwas then known as the Junior BarConference. As a member of the conference,Smith networked with andbefriended other young lawyers fromdifferent parts of the country.“I sort of worked my way tothe top and became chairman of theJunior Bar Conference two yearsdown the road.”One might say he did the samein 1980, when Smith served as presidentof the ABA. As ABA president,Smith was instrumental in establishinglegal aid entities in private barsettings across the country.“I was seeking to enhance accessto the legal system for societal purposes,”he said. “The poor and the disadvantageddid not have that access.”During his term as ABA president,Smith led a march of bar associationson Washington, D.C. The bar associationmembers lobbied Congressto maintain funding of the LegalServices Corporation (LSC), a congressionally-sponsored,non-profitcorporation that provides legal servicesto the poor across the country.“President Reagan didn’t likethe LSC and his attorney generalannounced that they were going todefund the program,” Smith said.“We called upon our representatives,senators and congressmen and madeour pitch on behalf of the LegalServices Corporation.”Reagan’s measure was ultimatelydefeated. To this day, the LSC continuesto assist the poor.By virtue of becoming involvedwith the organized bar, Smith hasbeen able to make contributions tothe legal profession and to the communitythat he could not have otherwisemade, he said.“I became interested very earlyin legal aid and ultimately that becamesort of an avocation for me.”Smith believes that a lawyershould possess a strong character, acommitment to society and professionalimprovement, and a high levelof professional competency.“Don’t go into law solely to makemoney,” he said. “A lawyer must bewilling to make a contribution to theprofession and to society.” ■44 UF LAW
CLASS NOTESShare your newsThe e-mail address to submit Class Notes news is FlaLaw@law.ufl.edu.You also can mail submissions to: UF Law Magazine, Levin College of Law,University of Florida, PO Box 117633, Gainesville, FL 32611. If you wishto include your e-mail address at the end of your class note, please makethe additions to the class note and provide permission to print.the Florida Supreme Court HistoricalSociety, an organization dedicated tothe preservation of the history of theFlorida Supreme Court and educatingthe public on its role in the state’sgovernment and law enforcement.1951William T. Harrison Jr., shareholderwith Williams Parkers Harrison Dietz &Getzen, received the Sarasota CountyBar Association’s Distinguished CommunityService Award during theassociation’s annual installation andawards dinner Sept. 19. Harrisonwas recognized for his dedication tocommunity service and his life-longcommitment to the legal profession.1960The St. Johns County Commissionrenamed and dedicated the St. JohnsCounty Court house the “Richard O.Watson Judicial Center” in honorof Senior Circuit Judge Richard O.Watson.1962Florida State University PresidentEmeritus Talbot “Sandy” D’Alembertehas been honored by the InternationalAcademy of Mediators with its LifetimeAchievement Award for his work indeveloping the alternative disputeresolution movement. D’Alembertereceived the award during a ceremonyin Coral Gables on May 16. In addition,D’Alemberte delivered the commencementaddress to Florida InternationalUniversity’s College of Law on May 18.1964Gerald F. Richman has been appointedby Gov. Charlie Crist to serve as amember of the Fourth District Courtof Appeals Nominating Commission.The commission is comprised of ninemembers with the role of identifyingand nominating individuals to fill openjudiciary positions in the Fourth District.Richman is president of the lawfirm of Richman Greer, P.A.1967Benjamin F. Overton received theLifetime Achievement Award from theAcademy of Matrimonial Lawyers.1969Litigation attorney Alan G. Greer, apartner with the law fi rm of RichmanGreer, P.A. has been named TheFlorida Bar Certifi ed Lawyer of theYear for 2008. Greer was selected forhis exemplary professionalism, excellence,character and commitment toThe Florida Bar’s certifi cation programand to the practice of law. Greerhas also been named president ofA. McArthur Irvin of Atlanta, Ga.has been elected as a fellow into theCollege of Labor and EmploymentLawyers. Being elected as a fellowis the highest recognition by one’scolleagues of sustained, outstandingperformance in the profession,exemplifying integrity, dedication andexcellence.Jacksonville attorney Joseph P. Miltonbecame the first recipient of the FranPeacock Coker Florida Chapter ofAmerican Board of Trial AdvocatesCommunity Service Award for hisoutstanding leadership as the ABOTAFoundation president in 2006 and2007. Milton also was recentlyappointed by Chief Justice Fred Lewisof the Florida Supreme Court to theFlorida Board of Bar Examiners TestingCommission, and has been elected asthe second vice president of the FloridaSupreme Court Historical Society.1971Ira H. Leesfield has been named thenext president of The Melvin M. BelliSociety, a charitable organizationcomprised of attorneys from aroundthe world. Leesfi eld is the founder andmanaging partner of the Miami lawfi rm Leesfi eld Leighton & Partners.Watson 60D’Alemberte 62Richman 64Greer 69Milton 69Making the listNote from the editor: The individuals below self-reported their selections to the following lists.Florida Trend MagazineLegal Elite/ Up & ComingSteven L. Beiley (JD 91)Jack R. Reiter (JD 94)Steven J. Solomon (JD 91)Nicole L. Goetz (JD 77)T. Robert Bulloch (JD 02)Reuben A. Doupe (JD 02)Scott Shuker (JD 93)Richard M. Benrubi (JD 88)Elizabeth Green (JD 86)Florida Super LawyersLeslie J. Lott (JD 74)Michael T. Moore (JD 74)Steve Walker (JD 74)Dennis J. Wall (JD 77)Kimberly Leach Johnson (JD 81)Brian D. Stokes (JD 84)Guy Whitesman (LLMT/JD 85)Tuwana J. McMillan (JD 87)David K. Friedland (JD 88)Richard M. Benrubi (JD 88)Stuart R. Morris (JD 89)Mark E. Stein (JD 89)Chambers USA 2008Richard Fildes (JD 77)Hal Kantor (JD 72)Nicholas Pope (JD 76)Terry Young (JD 75)Leesfield 71FALL 2008 45
Page 1 and 2: UF LAWUNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FREDRIC
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Page 5 and 6: “We openedin 1909 with 38students
Page 7 and 8: question, but it was probably theon
Page 9 and 10: UF Conservation ClinicTeams Up With
Page 11 and 12: “I feel very strongly that casewa
Page 13 and 14: Fifty years ago one man changed the
Page 15 and 16: Early newspaperaccounts of George H
Page 17 and 18: “The first lesson is this: Take i
Page 19 and 20: I should certify in time according
Page 21 and 22: high court’s decision as final an
Page 23 and 24: AP PHOTO/J.PAT CARTEREarly voters c
Page 25 and 26: tender age of 18, where he became a
Page 27 and 28: Allen, left, and Andrew Hallreturne
Page 29 and 30: In the old Alligator Alley, AndyOwe
Page 31 and 32: Brenda Owens-Philhower with herdaug
Page 33 and 34: DAVID GRUNFELD/THE TIMES-PICAYUNEPe
Page 35 and 36: Homes in the Pontchartrain Parkneig
Page 37 and 38: PART I:Making the case forelectroni
Page 39 and 40: PART II:Discoveringe-discoveryBY IA
Page 41 and 42: which could force delays throughout
Page 43 and 44: some big problems with the juvenile
Page 45: Florida TomorrowThe Campaign for th
Page 49 and 50: The magic touchDerek Bruce (JD/MBA
Page 51 and 52: COURTROOM SKETCH COURTESY OF DANA V
Page 53 and 54: Making the cut Scott Sheftall (JD 7
Page 55 and 56: A man of firstsAlfredo Garcia (JD 8
Page 57 and 58: Pro bono pays offJason Lazarus (JD
Page 59 and 60: Golden opportunityEvelyn Davis Gold
Page 62 and 63: As chair of the Law CenterAssociati
Page 64 and 65: Financial SummaryOF GIVING JULY 1,
Page 66 and 67: I loved my time at UF as an undergr
Page 68 and 69: John M. GilliesDaniel J. GlassmanMa
Page 70 and 71: While on our life’s journey, we m
Page 72 and 73: Gary L. & Suzanne Printy*J. Stephen
Page 74 and 75: Greg & Sonya BrownJoshua R. & Monic
Page 76 and 77: Ross T. & Silvana LessackChauncey W
Page 78 and 79: As a May 2006 graduate, I spent hal
Page 81 and 82: M. Stephen Smith IIIRodney W. Smith
Page 83 and 84: Douglas A. SmithH. Bradley StaggsGe
Page 85 and 86: Enrichment SocietySara S. BeckerJoh
Page 87 and 88: PartnersDavid H. PeekJohn J. Scrogg
Page 89 and 90: NOTAS BENEFaculty Scholarship & Act
Page 91 and 92: NOTAS BENEAlyson FlournoyUF Researc
Page 93 and 94: NOTAS BENE■ Presented “When the
Page 95 and 96: NOTAS BENE■ Participated in “Ne
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NOTAS BENEroundtable, Northwestern
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UP AND COMINGUF Law Student Wins Di
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