He co-founded the law firm Holland & Knight and served as president of the American Bar Association in 1973-1974, during the Watergate scandal.

[1] Following his discharge, Smith enrolled at the University of Florida Law School, paying his tuition with money earned from gambling on the transport back from Europe after the war.

Smith's statement following the Saturday Night Massacre that "no man is above the law" drew national headlines and the ire of Nixon supporters.

He overhauled the Florida Constitution, giving more representation to growing urban parts of the state at the expense of rural areas who sought to preserve power not reflected by their population share.

[5] Following his term as ABA President, Smith focused his attention on growing Holland & Knight from a regional Florida firm into one with a national presence.