Chesterfield Smith | |
|---|---|
 | |
| President of the American Bar Association | |
| In office 1973–1974 | |
| Preceded by | Robert W. Meserve |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 28, 1917 |
| Died | July 16, 2003(2003-07-16) (aged 85) |
| Profession | Attorney |
Chesterfield Harvey Smith (July 28, 1917 – July 16, 2003) was anAmerican lawyer. He co-founded thelaw firmHolland & Knight and served as president of theAmerican Bar Association in 1973-1974, during theWatergate scandal.
Smith was born and grew up inArcadia, Florida. He attended theUniversity of Florida, where he joined theFlorida National Guard. In 1940, he was called toactive duty, eventually serving with theThird United States Army inFrance duringWorld War II. In 1945, having won theBronze Star and aPurple Heart, he was discharged with therank ofMajor.[1] Following his discharge, Smith enrolled at theUniversity of Florida Law School, paying his tuition with money earned fromgambling on thetransport back from Europe after the war.[2] While at theUniversity of Florida he helped found theFlorida Law Review and was a member ofFlorida Blue Key. He was also a member of the Board.
Soon after graduating from law school, Smith joined Holland, Bevis & McRae, aBartow, Florida law firm that eventually became Holland & Knight. Smith gained early notoriety representing Florida'sphosphate industry, and in 1964 was named president of theFlorida Bar. In 1965, Smith was appointed chairman of the Florida Constitutional Revision Commission, and was named Distinguished Floridian of the Year by theFlorida Chamber of Commerce for his efforts to revise the Florida Constitution.[3]
While serving as President of the American Bar Association he became an outspoken critic ofRichard Nixon and advocated for the congressional reappointment of aspecial prosecutor to investigate the Watergate affair, although Smith had earlier supported Nixon's1968 and1972 presidential campaigns. Smith's statement following theSaturday Night Massacre that "no man is above the law" drew national headlines and the ire of Nixon supporters.[4]
Smith, though conveying the persona of a folksy Southerner, was an aggressive reformer. He overhauled theFlorida Constitution, giving more representation to growing urban parts of the state at the expense of rural areas who sought to preserve power not reflected by their population share. As ABA president, he urged reforms not only to the structure of that organization, but to the entire American legal system. He spoke out against segregation in the 1950s, and against criminal penalties for marijuana possession in the 1960s.[5]
Following his term as ABA President, Smith focused his attention on growing Holland & Knight from a regional Florida firm into one with a national presence. The firm currently has over 1100 lawyers in 17 U.S., 2 international and 2 representative offices.[6] In 1998, Smith became the 12th person honored by the Florida governor as a "Great Floridian." On September 21, 2006, theUniversity of Florida Levin College of Law dedicated the Chesterfield Smith Ceremonial Classroom in Smith's memory. Smith's longtime friend,Supreme Court JusticeRuth Bader Ginsburg spoke at the ceremony.
In 1975, he received the Golden Plate Award of theAmerican Academy of Achievement.[7]
Since his passing, the Pro Bono Institute (PBI) has presented The Chesterfield Smith Award at the PBI Annual Conference in his honor. The Chesterfield Smith Award recognizes “extraordinary courage and commitment” to pro bono by someone in the legal field. According to the PBI, Chesterfield “believed, passionately and completely, in equal justice for all, while standing firm in his conviction that public service and pro bono are absolutely essential elements in the lives of lawyers and in the work of great law firms.” The first award was given in 2005 toJohn D. Hamilton, Jr.[8]
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| National | |
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