William Reece Smith Jr. (September 19, 1925 – January 11, 2013) was an American lawyer.

[2][3] Smith was a native of eastern Tennessee, but attended public schools in Plant City, Florida while growing up.

He received an athletic scholarship to attend the University of South Carolina, where he was a quarterback for the South Carolina Gamecocks football team and participated in the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC).

Smith earned a bachelor's degree in naval science from South Carolina in 1946, and after graduation he was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy.

After his years in the service, he attended the University of Florida College of Law.