Benjamin Garcia grew up knowing that success requires more than just talent. His high school track coach taught him a lesson about the Three Ds that has stayed with him ever since: Determination. Dedication. Discipline.
Born in Spanish Harlem and raised in Orlando, FL, Garcia went on to become a proud two-time Florida A&M University (“FAMU”) Rattler, earning both his Bachelor of Arts and Science in Criminal Justice (with a Minor in Social Work) and his Juris Doctor from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. He later earned his MBA from Florida State University. As a first-generation college and law school graduate, Garcia carries a personal understanding of what it means to fight for something and how much is at stake when someone is counting on you to show up.
Garcia’s path to personal injury law was built from the ground up. He spent years as a law clerk and young associate at a prominent Orlando personal injury firm, developing the hands-on skills that would later define his practice. That experience taught him how to dig into a case, how to deal with insurance companies, and how to maximize recovery for clients who had already been through enough. He brought all of that experience to Garcia Sheppard when he and Sheppard co-founded the firm with a shared goal: to give clients the kind of direct, personal attention that larger firms simply don’t provide.
Garcia’s commitment to his community runs deep. He previously served as the President of the Virgil Hawkin’s Florida Chapter of the National Bar Association, where his leadership advanced mentorship and professional development for lawyers and law students across the state. He rose through the ranks of the Paul C. Perkins Bar Association, ultimately serving as President and leading the organization through its landmark 40th Anniversary Hall of Fame Gala.
Garcia has received recognition at both the state and national levels for excellence in the legal profession. He has been selected to the Super Lawyers Rising Stars list from 2022 through 2025, recognizing the top 2.5% of attorneys in each state. He is also a recipient of the 36 Under Thirty-Six Professionalism Award from the Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division and the 2024 “40 Under 40” Award from the National Bar Association, honoring outstanding young lawyers for excellence, leadership, and community impact.
Beyond the courtroom, Garcia co-founded Life Beyond Adversity, a nonprofit organization helping urban youth access higher education, and the FAMUly First-Generation Law School Scholarship, which supports first-generation students at FAMU College of Law. As a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, he co-chairs the Orlando Chapter’s Annual MLK Commemorative Luncheon, which recently set a record for scholarship awards and was named the Chapter’s Outstanding Committee.
