Akerman LLP, a leading U.S. law firm, has recently received recognition by Chambers & Partners, a global legal research and ranking firm for two of its partners. The two partners, Jeremy Burnett and Grasford Smith have been shortlisted for the 2023 Chambers USA Awards in recognition of their efforts towards diversity and inclusion in the legal profession.
Burnett, an experienced healthcare litigator and compliance counsel based in Atlanta, has been named a Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year finalist. His commitment to racial justice and pro bono work has been central to his practice for years, with his pro bono work in 2022 standing as a particularly strong illustration of his devotion to serving others.
In 2022, Burnett co-led a team of over 20 lawyers and staff that partnered with the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights to build and populate Accountable Now, the only comprehensive, open-source, publicly available, nationwide use-of-force database providing full transparency into the circumstances and targets of law enforcement use-of-force. His team used freedom of information laws to request and obtain data regarding law enforcement’s use of force from 146 jurisdictions across the country. Attorneys and journalists have already used this data to discuss such use-of-force in various communities.
Additionally, Burnett stepped up to fight for racial justice alongside a longstanding pro bono client, the National Urban League (NUL). He helped launch a national advocacy project to improve parole and probation practices around the United States, his third pro bono project with the NUL’s law enforcement reform initiative. Burnett is also a Board member of the Georgia Asylum and Immigration Network (GAIN), a past president of the Georgia Stonewall Bar Association, and a member of Akerman’s Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer & Allies Network Group.
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Smith, a partner in Akerman’s Litigation Practice Group based in West Palm Beach, has been named a finalist in the Diversity & Inclusion: Outstanding Contribution category. In addition to his manifold professional achievements and leadership positions, he maintains a deep commitment to advancing justice, diversity, and inclusion in all he does.
Smith serves as chair of the Minority Partners in Majority Firms Division and was the chair of Region XI of the National Bar Association, the nation’s oldest and largest national network of predominantly African-American attorneys and judges. He acts as national assistant general counsel to the oldest intercollegiate historically African American fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and chair of the Commission on Racial Justice.
For the past 12 months, Smith served on a Florida Bar Association Special Committee on Opportunity in the Practice of Law. He is also chair of the Economic Case for Diversity Subcommittee, analyzing data and establishing the direct relationship between firms with higher shares of Asian, Black, Hispanic, and multi-racial attorneys and higher profits. On a local level, Smith served as President of the Black Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beach County, Florida, and became the Chair of the American Heart Association of Palm Beach County in 2022.
Chambers Diversity & Inclusion aims to promote the advancement of inclusion across the global legal profession through research, training, workshops, tourism, and awards. Its awards represent the culmination of Chambers’ research and celebrate firms and individuals who are furthering the advancement of diversity and inclusion in the United States.
With more than 700 lawyers and business professionals, Akerman is a top 100 U.S. law firm recognized among the most forward-thinking firms in the industry by Financial Times. The firm collaborates with the world’s most successful enterprises and entrepreneurs to navigate change, seize opportunities, and help drive innovation and growth. The firm has received numerous accolades for its dedication to diversity, including being named a “Best Law Firm for Diversity.”