The courtroom has lost one of its fiercest gladiators. Roy Black, the titan of criminal defense who vaulted into national prominence after securing an acquittal for William Kennedy Smith in a headline-grabbing rape trial, died Monday night at the age of 80.
The renowned attorney passed away at his Coral Gables home, following a brief illness. Even in his final days, Black remained deeply involved at Black Srebnick, the law firm he co-founded and helped transform into a South Florida legal powerhouse.
“Roy Black was the greatest criminal lawyer of our generation, perhaps in American history,” said his longtime law partner, Howard Srebnick, “achieving acquittals over a span of 50 years in some of the most challenging and notorious cases of all time.”
A Legal Force of Nature
With his razor-sharp intellect and courtroom charisma, Black became a household name in the 1990s, particularly for his deft handling of the William Kennedy Smith case, one of the first televised trials that captivated America. Black’s cross-examinations became the stuff of legal legend, and his performance in that trial earned him comparisons to Clarence Darrow and Johnny Cochran.
Beyond the Kennedy case, Black’s client list read like a who’s who of celebrities and controversial figures. He was a fixture in high-profile legal battles, revered for his unrelenting preparation, eloquence, and ethical compass—even when defending unpopular defendants.
