Rawsi Williams

Rawsi Williams is a Florida-based civil rights attorney, registered nurse, and United States Army veteran recognized for her courtroom advocacy and dedication to justice. As one of the few professionals licensed in both law and nursing, she focuses on protecting the civil and constitutional rights guaranteed to every person. Her legal work encompasses federal, state, and administrative cases, particularly those involving unlawful deprivation of rights. This includes civil rights, education, employment, healthcare, and government accountability. She gained national recognition for securing a $2 million unanimous jury verdict in a federal excessive force case in Florida, which remains the highest jury verdict in a pure police brutality case in that federal court system. She is also among the few attorneys in four decades to have successfully defended a student-athlete against the Florida High School Athletic Association, demonstrating her commitment to challenging powerful institutions when necessary.

Early Life and Influences

Rawsi Williams grew up in a family of five children, with four daughters and one son. Her path changed profoundly when her only brother, the sole son in the family, was incarcerated. That event inspired her to attend law school with the determination to fight for individuals who are silenced, mishandled, or harmed by unjust systems.

In a challenging personal experience, her own brother later became a victim of police brutality in Killeen, Texas. He suffered multiple taser strikes by KPD officers inside an ambulance while he was still recovering from a seizure. Afterward, he was dragged from the ambulance and arrested. The judge in the criminal case determined that the officers lacked probable cause for the arrest. To ensure justice, she secured an attorney licensed in Texas to represent him, and a federal lawsuit against the officers remains ongoing. This case reflects how her civil rights mission is not only professional but deeply personal.

Service in the United States Army and Early Leadership

Before her career in law, Rawsi developed an extensive background in healthcare. Her military journey began in the United States Army, where she launched her professional life as a nurse. The Army provided her with discipline, structure, and opportunities to lead. That training provided her with a foundation that she would later apply to both healthcare and law, effectively linking medical knowledge with legal advocacy.

Education and Military Service

Her undergraduate studies took place at Tuskegee University, where she made history as the first female Ranger in the university’s Army ROTC program. She then earned her Juris Doctor degree from Florida A&M University College of Law, further sharpening her skills in litigation and advocacy.

During her military service, she was trained in medical records, combining administrative knowledge with patient care. In addition to her formal degrees, she has earned numerous professional certifications. Over time, she became a respected keynote speaker and lecturer, sought after nationally for her ability to educate and inspire.

Legal Career and Areas of Practice

Attorney Williams is admitted to practice in all Florida state courts and several federal jurisdictions, including the Southern, Middle, and Northern Districts of Florida. She has also been admitted pro hac vice in the Western District of Texas and the Northern District of Georgia.

Her work focuses on civil rights cases, employment law, constitutional violations, and administrative litigation. She has appeared regularly in federal court, including the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Over the years, she has taken on major corporations, municipal governments, county systems, and school boards. Her courtroom work has been featured on national television, in widely read publications, and on radio programs, showing the reach and impact of her advocacy.

Federal Civil Rights and Police Misconduct Litigation

A key area of her practice is federal civil rights law, especially in cases involving police misconduct. She has represented clients in cases of excessive force, wrongful death, and unlawful detention.

One of her most significant victories came in federal court in Fort Myers, Florida. She secured a $2 million jury verdict after a deputy broke the leg of her client, Mrs. Sandra Corbin. This remains one of the largest verdicts in Florida under federal law for a case of pure police brutality. That result underscores her ability to handle challenging litigation with success and persistence.

Legal Advocacy for Students and Education Law

Education rights form another vital part of her practice. She has taken cases against school districts, universities, and athletic associations involving wrongful discipline, Title IX, and due process violations.

Her courtroom successes include defeating the Florida High School Athletic Association, making her one of only a handful of attorneys to accomplish this in more than forty years. These victories have ensured fair treatment for student-athletes, preventing discriminatory policies and restoring access to education where rights were threatened.

Administrative Law and Professional Licensure Defense

Her background as a registered nurse allows her to represent healthcare professionals in licensing matters. She defends nurses, educators, healthcare facilities, and long-term care institutions in administrative cases.

Rawsi is a state-certified Assisted Living Facility Administrator and approved trainer for Assisted Living and Adult Family Care Homes. She also holds certifications from nursing boards in Florida, the District of Columbia, West Virginia, and New Mexico, reflecting her professional range and credibility.

Media Features and Public Recognition

Her dedication has been acknowledged through a series of awards and appointments. In 2024, she was named Co-Chair of the Civil Rights Committee of the Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. Bar Association.

In 2023, she served as an Advisor to the Civil Rights Roundtable at the University of Miami School of Law and received the university’s Lawyer in Leadership in Civil Rights Award.

In 2021, she was honored with the National Lawyer of Distinction in Civil Litigation Award. That same year, she delivered the keynote address at the Florida Association of Directors of Nursing’s annual convention and was named Community Activist Woman of the Year.

In 2020, she gave the keynote speech at the Pasco County NAACP Freedom Fund Gala. During the COVID-19 crisis, the American Nurses Association honored one of her motivational quotes directed toward nurses working through the pandemic.

In 2019, Zeta Phi Beta, Inc., recognized her as the Human Rights Advocate of the Year, although she was not a member of the organization. The year before, in 2018, she was chosen as the Law Day Keynote Speaker at the Church of God in Christ Holy Convocation in St. Louis, Missouri.

Volunteer Work and Community Involvement

Service to the community has been a constant theme in her professional life. For over ten years, she has volunteered with the Miami-Dade County Public Defender’s Office, representing indigent clients on a pro bono basis. Remarkably, she has never lost a case in that role.

In her leadership role as Co-Chair of the Civil Rights Committee of the Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. Bar Association, she continues to shape policies, raise awareness, and support justice-focused initiatives.

Rawsi Williams continues to serve as a powerful advocate in both the courtroom and the community. With her combined background in law, nursing, and military service, she brings a unique perspective to her work, committed to protecting civil rights, challenging injustice, and amplifying the voices of those who might otherwise go unheard.