Larry D. Smith, of Southern Trial Counsel, PLC in Orlando, Florida, is the recipient of a 2019 Diversity Law Institute (DLI) Diversity Award. The award was presented to Mr. Smith by G. Steven Henry, Litigation Counsel of America (LCA) Executive Director and General Counsel, at the LCA 2019 Fall Conference & Celebration of Fellows held in Bluffton, South Carlolina at Montage Palmetto Bluff. DLI Diversity Awards are given annually to a select number of individuals who have advanced, promoted, or supported diversity and inclusion in the profession of law, and who share in the DLI and LCA’s commitment to promote a more diverse, equal, and inclusive legal profession.
Mr. Smith defends American and global companies in complex, catastrophic, or otherwise high-exposure personal injury cases throughout Florida and the southeast. His clients range from small businesses to Fortune 100 companies including product, medical device, and pharmaceutical manufacturers, and insurance/reinsurance companies (and their insureds). He is a member of the International Association of Defense Counsel and the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel. He has long been active in the Florida Bar, with leadership positions on substantive committees which oversee the rules of evidence and civil procedure in Florida courts, as well as committees which improve our profession, such as diversity and inclusion, and professionalism.
Mr. Smith is a pioneer and leader in the field of diversity and inclusion for which he has received notable awards, including: the Florida Bar G. Kirk Haas Humanitarian Award in 2016, the Florida Bar Young Lawyers Diversity Award in 2016, the Defense Research Institute Sheryl J. Willert Pioneer Diversity Award in 2015, the LCA’s Inaugural Peter Perlman Service Award in 2015, the American Bar Association Section of Litigation Diversity Leadership Award in 2013, and the Florida Bar Henry Latimer Diversity Award in 2013. He is the first openly gay attorney to receive any of these awards, and the only person to win all of them. Recognizing it as his passion, Mr. Smith plans to focus even more time on inclusive excellence starting in 2020. Mr. Smith is a Senior Fellow of the LCA and a member of the the Diversity Law Institute.