ANDREW SMULIAN

Andrew Smulian is lauded as a legal visionary and community leader whose market-leading innovations and philanthropic commitments have had lasting local and national implications. As a friend and fellow Akerman partner, it has been my privilege to journey alongside him and watch his legacy unfold.

“Andrew's contributions to clients and the legal profession have left a truly indelible mark for generations to follow,” said David Spector, our fellow partner who recently succeeded
Andrew as Akerman's chairman and CEO. “His success, humility and charisma have forever
changed the lives of many, and I count myself among them.”

Andrew concluded his decade-long tenure as Akerman chairman and CEO this February. Under his leadership, we have become a national law firm with more than 700 lawyers and business professionals delivering record financial performance for seven consecutive years. Equally importantly, he instilled a spirit of entrepreneurialism and developed a client-focused, firm-wide culture of collaboration and excellence.

The son of a doctor in New Jersey, Andrew grew up in a tight-knit, loving family. His parents impressed upon him the timeless values of loyalty, generosity and a genuine thirst for excellence. Those fundamental tenets defined how he would transform our 98-year-old firm into a collaborative, nimble enterprise committed to our clients and communities.

A Yale graduate, Andrew went on to the University of Pennsylvania Law School and practiced in New York before coming to Akerman in 1995. A brilliant real estate lawyer, he helped the firm establish a reputation as a leading transactional and trial law firm with core strengths in the corporate, financial services and real estate sectors. Due in part to the path he charted for our firm, our lawyers successfully represent leading enterprises nationally as well as in Latin America and other global jurisdictions.

As a testament to his remarkable vision, the Financial Times recently recognized Andrew as one of North America's top 10 legal innovators and, because of his leadership, the publication also ranked Akerman among the industry's most forward-thinking law firms for the last three years. Throughout this journey, Andrew also helped foster a truly diverse, inclusive environment where individuals of all backgrounds can thrive and benefit from true workplace equality.

Andrew received high praise for creating the legal industry's first law firm research and development co-venture with clients. Through the Akerman R&D Council, he inspired us to collaborate with clients, entrepreneurs, industry innovators and other outside professionals to solve critical challenges and create new services and products.

“Andrew's core leadership traits have always centered around collaborative innovation and an intense focus on transformative business practices,” said Francisco Rodriguez, chair of Akerman's R&D Council. “We are forever grateful for his longtime work on the future of the legal practice, whose results will create value for years to come.”

Andrew has been a tireless champion of combining technology with human intelligence to engineer products that provide self-service solutions and add value for clients. A recent example is the Akerman Data Law Center, which combines artificial intelligence and lawyer-driven innovation to help clients achieve data law compliance nationwide.

Among his many philanthropic and pro bono accomplishments, Andrew was instrumental in forming the first national law firm partnership with the National Court Appointed Special Advocates Association, or CASA. This impressive effort is one of the most ambitious philanthropic and pro bono initiatives for abused and neglected children in the family court system.

In concert with CASA, Andrew and our firm created a hybrid-giving model of pro bono legal service, volunteerism and charitable donations. This innovative model has included a $1 million law firm pledge to support the education and development of foster youth.

Also active across a number of civic and professional boards, Andrew has inspired many organizations with his leadership, including the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity and leading law firm network Lex Mundi. He has been a leader in the Miami community through his work with the United Way of Miami-Dade County and the Institute of Contemporary Art, which he was instrumental in launching.

Andrew is a rare find in today's world — a true gentleman who has the vision and strength of character to lead a national law firm, the compassion to make his community a better place and the heart to be a devoted husband, father and grandfather. I am proud to call him my partner and even more proud to call him my friend.

Neisen Kasdin is Akerman's Miami office managing partner.