H.T. Smith earns FFLA's Medal of Honor Award
Medal of Honor recipient H.T. Smith, left, and Craig Gibbs.
Miami's H.T. Smith received FFLA's 2026 Medal of Honor Award for a lawyer at FFLA's Annual Awards Ceremony and Breakfast, held in conjunction with the recent Bar Convention in Orlando.
Smith, the inaugural director of the Trial Advocacy Program at Florida International University College of Law, was honored for his lifetime of distinguished advocacy, enduring contributions to justice, and transformative service that has strengthened communities, expanded opportunity, and elevated the legal profession, according to FFLA.
"For more than five decades, he has not only practiced law at the highest level, he has modeled what it means to live a life anchored in service, courage, and a steadfast belief that the law can expand opportunity and strengthen communities," wrote Monica Vigues-Pitan, CEO of Legal Services of Greater Miami, in her nomination of Smith. "His career reflects a legacy not simply of achievement, but of transformation."
Smith began his legal career as a staff attorney at Legal Services of Greater Miami, representing low-income individuals and families. He went on to serve as an assistant public defender and later an assistant county attorney for Miami-Dade County before entering private practice. For more than 52 years, Smith has practiced in civil rights, personal injury, and criminal defense. He has been recognized as a Top Trial Lawyer by the Dade County Bar Association and was inducted into the "Legal Legends" of Miami-Dade County.
"For over 52 years, attorney Smith has redefined what it means to be a 'citizen-lawyer' in the State of Florida," wrote Brendalyn V.A. Edwards, president of the Virgil Hawkins Florida Chapter of the National Bar Association, in a letter supporting his nomination. "H.T. Smith has not only changed the trajectory of cases, he has changed the trajectory of lives."
Smith was founding president of the Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr., Bar Association and a founding member of the Gwen S. Cherry Black Women Lawyers Association. He served as president of both the Virgil Hawkins Florida Chapter of the National Bar Association and, later, the National Bar Association. He later returned to Legal Services of Greater Miami as a board member and president.
"He builds bridges between communities, across generations, and within the profession itself," Vigues-Pitan wrote. "His integrity and dedication to mentoring the next generation have left an indelible mark on our profession and our community."
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