Carlton Fields Celebrates 125 Years of Excellence

TAMPA, FL – This year, Carlton Fields marks its 125th anniversary.

“It’s really a remarkable milestone when you put it in perspective. The United States is celebrating its 250th anniversary this year, and Carlton Fields has been around for half that time,” said Gary Sasso, president and CEO of Carlton Fields. “That’s a great track record of succession, thanks to predecessors who have put the firm’s interests ahead of their own. For 125 years, Carlton Fields has stood for excellence — serving clients, shaping industries, and strengthening communities.”

A Legacy of Leadership, Inclusion, and Innovation

The history of Carlton Fields is defined by leadership in the legal profession, service to clients and communities, and a long-standing commitment to opportunity, justice, and innovation. Key milestones include:

• 1901: Carlton Fields was founded by Giddings Mabry, son of Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Milton Mabry. He was later joined by Doyle Carlton, a future governor of Florida who championed women’s suffrage and served on President Dwight Eisenhower’s Federal Civil Rights Commission.
• 1961-1971: The firm helped shape a more open and modern legal profession. Carlton Fields was the first major Florida law firm to hire a Jewish partner, Edward Cutler. Sylvia Walbolt joined in 1963 as the firm’s first female lawyer and later became the first female shareholder and board chair. In 1970, Eurich Griffin joined as the first Black attorney at a major Florida law firm and later became a shareholder.
• 1966-1969: The firm adopted forward-looking business practices, including alternative work schedules and becoming one of the first large Florida law firms to incorporate, strengthening its ability to serve clients at scale.
• 1967-2025: Carlton Fields expanded its geographic footprint, opening offices in Orlando (1967), Tallahassee (1977), West Palm Beach (1991), Miami (1997), Atlanta (2004), New York (2012), Los Angeles (2014), Hartford (2014), Washington, D.C. (2014), Florham Park (2019), and Minneapolis (2025).
• 1972-1988: Former chairman William Reece Smith Jr. served as president of the Florida Bar, the American Bar Association, and the International Bar Association, becoming the only American lawyer to serve as bar president at every level while advancing access to justice and strengthening the profession nationwide, including the preservation of nationwide legal services programs.
• 1999-2015: The firm was among the first in Florida to extend benefits to domestic partners (1999) and supported LGBTQ+ families through pro bono work, including adoption and marriage rights.

Celebrating 125 Years of Service and Community Impact

Through its long-standing pro bono commitment to expanding access to justice and supporting the public good, Carlton Fields will also, throughout its 125th anniversary year, engage lawyers and staff in a range of community service initiatives across all firm locations. These efforts will complement the firm’s pro bono work and reflect a broader commitment to strengthening the communities in which Carlton Fields lives and works.

As the firm marks 125 years, it continues to focus on developing the next generation of leaders. Through investments in technology, collaboration, and professional development, Carlton Fields equips its lawyers to anticipate emerging challenges and deliver forward-thinking solutions. With a steadfast commitment to inclusion, professional excellence, and strategic growth, the firm is cultivating a pipeline of innovative leaders prepared to serve clients in a rapidly evolving legal landscape.

“Today, Carlton Fields brings together offices, expertise, and experience to address the complex challenges clients face,” Sasso added. “We grow strategically, not indiscriminately, across industries and geographies to deliver solutions with insight, collaboration, and care. We are grateful for our past, but even more excited about our future. We’ve never had a better collection of clients, colleagues, and offices across the country. And as we move forward, we remain guided by the values that have enabled our firm to flourish for 125 years.”