Description: This biography follows the life of Chesterfield Smith, a defining Florida figure who led the Florida Bar, masterminded the drafting of a new state constitution, and spearheaded the American Bar Association's condemnation of Richard M. Nixon during the Watergate scandal.
Brief description: Mary E. Adkins is master legal skills professor at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and the author of Making Modern Florida: How the Spirit of Reform Shaped a New State Constitution.
Review Quotes:
"Adkins's fast-paced, readable biography of one of Florida's and the nation's most influential lawyers and public citizens is a welcome addition. No American had a greater impact on the practice of law and public affairs in America than 'Citizen' Smith. Adkins has provided us with a remarkable portrait of this astonishing man."--James M. Denham, author of Fifty Years of Justice: A History of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
"A true gem. Adkins has chronicled the life of one of Florida's most influential voices in the state's transition into the modern era. A captivating and interesting read."--Peter Dunbar, coauthor of The Modern Republican Party in Florida