Griffith J. Winthrop III

As one of the founders of Alvarez, Thompson & Smoak, P.A., Griff strives to secure the best possible results for his clients. Recognizing the growing demand for alternative dispute resolution services throughout the country and here in Florida, Griff is pleased to announce that he has become a full-time mediator.

Griff grew up on a small farm outside of Jacksonville, Florida, graduating from Samuel W. Wolfson high school in 1980. He attended Florida State University, graduating in 1984, and went on to join the United States Marine Corps. While in the Marine Corps, Griff attended Golden Gate University, graduating in 1988 with a Master’s of Science in Human Resources Management. After serving 7 years on active duty in the Marine Corps, he attended the University of Florida College of Law, receiving his Juris Doctor, with honors, in 1994. In 2000 Griff decided to pool his talents with Raúl Alvarez and formed what is now known as Alvarez, Thompson & Smoak, P.A., with the singular mission of providing clients the experienced, effective, and efficient legal counsel that best advances and serves their interests. ATS has since grown into a firm that is known for its aggressive protection of clients both in and out of court.

Griff has spent his entire legal career as a civil litigator and trial lawyer, having tried cases in state and federal courtrooms throughout the United States. He began his career as panel counsel for several large insurance carriers. Griff has represented numerous corporations, including commercial and residential real estate developers, general contractors, defense industry contractors, banks, insurance brokers, health care providers, product manufacturers, automobile dealerships, trucking companies, and bus lines, both in Florida and in Georgia, in disputes involving wrongful death, personal injury, construction defect, land use, real estate, negligence, professional negligence, intellectual property, medical and product liability issues. This extensive complex litigation and trial experience makes Griff exceedingly and uniquely qualified to mediate and help parties resolve matters involving complex engineering and cutting edge scientific and medical issues – to include those cases that have the additional impediments to settlement arising from disputed insurance primacy, bad faith and coverage issues.

With almost three decades of experience practicing law at the national level, Griff has experience advocating and achieving favorable results both for plaintiffs and defendants. In addition to having held licenses in four states and being a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer, he holds an esteemed AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Griff is one of the very few mediators who will be able to bring his vast litigation and trial experience – gained through his representation of both Plaintiffs and Defendants – to assist parties in resolving their disputes.