Raised in Florida, Grant Smith has spent a lifetime building relationships and a network of connections that he uses to best serve his clients and their needs. Grant began his career with a highly rated Fort Lauderdale law firm where he worked for 10 years in government affairs for clients nationwide, such as Alamo Rent a Car. Grant then embarked appearing for clients in the Congress, the Executive Branch, State legislatures, State Executive agencies and numerous local government bodies..

After another 5 years in private practice, he was asked to be the general counsel and chief administrative officer of an environmental services company where he helped grow the company to a point that businessman Wayne Huizenga purchased it. Asked to remain after the acquisition, Grant stayed, working closely with the Huizenga team to grow the company until it was sold again to a larger, international company. While continuing to represent the new company, Grant has expanded his private practice to include many other disciplines and industries. Grant has represented clients at every level of government, federal, state and local. It is this varied experience that enables Grant to draw on a depth of knowledge that most advocates simply don’t have.

Grant graduated from Tulane University and the University of Miami School of Law. Grant has been a member in good standing of the Florida Bar for over 25 years. Active in numerous community based organizations, Grant served on the board of Family Central for over 20 years and was recently appointed to a 3 year term to serve on the Broward County Charter Review Commission where he chairs the subcommittee on infrastructure.

What makes us unique:

By successfully navigating the worlds of business and the private practice of law, StrategySmith has developed a knowledgebase and a depth of experience most professional who have never been in the “real world” don’t understand. The ability to translate the needs of a business to run their business and operate within the confines of the law takes an experienced counselor. Businesses have time constraints and bottom lines, most attorneys are oblivious to the pressures their clients face, having worked on both sides we are in a position to bridge the gap.

The Message

Your message … How you present yourself to the world, potential business partners, potential customers—and now more than ever, how you present yourself and your projects to local and state governments—can radically impact your business and your bottom line.

You need an advocate with multiple talents, including strategic planning, presentations, and wordsmithing to find the right language; a person to help you to a broad audience; a researcher to sift and sort the data; but above all a trusted messenger to bring your ideas—and your value proposition—to the attention of decision makers who can make a difference for your projects.

In fact, it’s trust that is our stock in trade. For over two decades, we have helped a range of business organizations find their voice and deliver their message to decision-makers in the public arena, negotiate deals between disparate parties, and plan strategy and tactics. Our expertise in building support and cross-constituency appeals for business projects helps large and small clients navigate the sometimes choppy waters of the political process and the business world.

The Bridge

Through years of local community involvement in the legal and political process, we have built a network of relationships with key officials, decision-makers, and subject matter experts whose support and assistance may be needed to further your goals. Advocacy is the bridge that can bring you there.

While a good proposition, strong planning and even stronger execution will always be factors in the success of your business, having a counselor who can not only hone your message but deliver it to people in key positions or opposing counsel can be the difference between success and failure.

Grass-Roots Strategy

No project is without its opponents—and contrary to common belief, your project’s opponents may in fact be a valued source of support if your messenger can not only identify their concerns (and hence the source of their reluctance) but also craft strategies to ally their worries and turn foe into friend.

After all, your message is often heard best when it comes from the mouths of those who only days before did not support it.

A large part of the practice entails the building of broad coalitions across different interest groups to voice support for your projects to local and state lawmakers. Through diligent research and a lifetime spent in South Florida, we identifiy parties whose interest may not at first dovetail with yours, but who can become allies through education, awareness, and well-planned, well-intentioned advocacy.