Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has appointed criminal defense attorney Jocelyn Dopson-Rodriguez, of Tampa, to the FAMU Board of Trustees, capping a prolonged transition for outgoing trustee Kelvin Lawson, whose term officially expired in (January) 2021 but he continued to serve under state rules that allowed him to do so until his replacement was named. Lawson, who vacated his seat on July 10th, is now set to assume the role of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) on August 1, aligning with incoming "president-select" Marva Johnson’s expected administrative overhaul.
Dopson-Rodriguez, a partner with the Sammis Law Firm and a FAMU College of Law alumna, will serve through January 2026.
A Kissimmee native, Dopson-Rodriguez earned her Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies from the University of Central Florida before graduating from FAMU’s law school. She launched her career as an Assistant Public Defender in Tampa’s Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, representing indigent clients and juveniles in hundreds of criminal cases. After transitioning to civil litigation—handling federal civil rights disputes, construction defect claims, and property cases—she returned to criminal defense in 2022, specializing in DUI, juvenile law, and civil asset forfeiture.
In the legal profession, Dopson-Rodriguez has built a reputation for safeguarding clients’ rights. “She leaves no stone unturned, whether it’s the calibration of a breathalyzer or the motives behind a stop,” said a colleague at Sammis Law Firm.
Her community engagement extends beyond the courtroom: She serves as a Ninth Circuit Guardian Ad Litem, advocating for children in dependency cases; mentors high school mock trial teams; and holds leadership roles in the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (FACDL) and the National College for DUI Defense.
“FAMU is where I learned to fight for justice,” Dopson-Rodriguez said Monday. “I’m ready to bring that same tenacity to the board.”
The Florida Senate must confirm her appointment, with a vote expected next spring.
Multiple sources familiar with the matter confirmed that Trustee Lawson has been actively involved in administrative strategy sessions on campus in recent weeks, accompanying Johnson in meetings with her direct reports and university vice presidents ahead of her August 1 "takeover".
As FAMU turns the page, stakeholders are watching closely: Dopson-Rodriguez’s term may be brief, but her impact on one of Florida’s storied institutions, and its only public HBCU, could resonate far beyond 2026.
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Kelvin Lawson sold out for this .... let's see where the other sellouts land!
ReplyDeleteDumber and Dumber will now lead FAMU!!!
ReplyDelete