Rawsi Williams

Rawsi Williams is a Florida-based civil rights attorney, registered nurse, and United States Army veteran. Licensed in both law and nursing, she is among the few professionals with dual careers dedicated to safeguarding constitutional and civil rights. Her work encompasses cases at the federal, state, and administrative levels, with a focus on civil rights, education, employment, healthcare, and government accountability. She earned national recognition for securing a unanimous $2 million jury verdict in a federal excessive force case in Florida, which stands as the highest jury verdict for a pure police brutality case in that federal court system. She is also one of only four attorneys in four decades to defeat the Florida High School Athletic Association on behalf of a student-athlete.

Early Life and Influences

Rawsi was raised in a family of five children, including four daughters and one son. Her life took a decisive turn when her only brother was incarcerated. That event inspired her to attend law school, with a determination to fight for those mistreated or silenced by injustice. Later, in a profoundly personal experience, her brother became a victim of police brutality in Killeen, Texas, when officers tased him multiple times inside an ambulance after he had suffered a seizure. He was then dragged from the ambulance and arrested. The judge in his criminal case ruled that the officers lacked probable cause. She ensured he had a licensed attorney in Texas, and a federal lawsuit against the officers is ongoing.

Service in the United States Army and Early Leadership

Before embarking on her legal career, she established a foundation in healthcare. Her professional journey began in the United States Army, where she served as a nurse. Military service instilled discipline and leadership, equipping her with the skills that would later strengthen her combined path in nursing and law.

Education and Military Service

Rawsi pursued her undergraduate education at Tuskegee University, where she became the first female Ranger in the school’s Army ROTC history. She later earned her Juris Doctor degree from Florida A&M University College of Law, developing her litigation skills. In the Army, she was also trained in medical records. Beyond her formal education, she has obtained multiple professional certifications and is frequently invited as a keynote speaker and lecturer.

Legal Career and Areas of Practice

Rawsi is licensed 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 legal practice encompasses civil rights, employment law, constitutional law, and administrative matters. She regularly appears in federal courts, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Over the years, she has taken on large corporations, municipal governments, and school boards. Her work has been featured in major television broadcasts, print publications, and radio platforms.

Federal Civil Rights and Police Misconduct Litigation

She is nationally recognized in the field of civil rights litigation, with a particular focus on cases involving police misconduct. Her cases often address excessive force, unlawful detention, and wrongful death. One of her most significant courtroom victories came in Fort Myers, Florida, where she secured a $2 million jury verdict after a deputy broke her client’s leg. This verdict remains one of the largest in Florida under federal law for a pure police brutality case.

Legal Advocacy for Students and Education Law

Rawsi has consistently advocated for student rights, litigating cases against schools, athletic associations, and universities. These cases often involve Title IX, due process, and wrongful discipline. She is one of the very few attorneys in over forty years to have successfully defeated the Florida High School Athletic Association. Her victories have preserved educational access for student-athletes and challenged unfair and discriminatory practices.

Administrative Law and Professional Licensure Defense

Her background as a registered nurse strengthens her ability to represent healthcare professionals in licensure disputes. She has defended nurses, healthcare facilities, long-term care institutions, and educators in administrative cases.

She is a state-certified Assisted Living Facility Administrator and an approved trainer for Assisted Living and Adult Family Care Homes. She also holds nursing certifications in Florida, the District of Columbia, West Virginia, and New Mexico.

Media Features and Public Recognition

Her work has been recognized through multiple awards and leadership 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 Advisor to the Civil Rights Roundtable at the University of Miami School of Law and was honored with the school’s Lawyer in Leadership in Civil Rights Award.

In 2021, she received the National Lawyer of Distinction Award in Civil Litigation. That year, she also gave the keynote speech at the Florida Association of Directors of Nursing convention and was honored as Community Activist Woman of the Year.

In 2020, she was the keynote speaker at the Pasco County NAACP Freedom Fund Gala. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Nurses Association published one of its motivational quotes directed at nurses working on the front lines.

In 2019, she was recognized as Human Rights Advocate of the Year by Zeta Phi Beta, Inc. In 2018, she was chosen as the Law Day Keynote Speaker for the Church of God in Christ Holy Convocation in St. Louis, Missouri.

Volunteer Work and Community Involvement

Rawsi has spent more than a decade volunteering with the Miami-Dade County Public Defender’s Office, representing indigent clients on a pro bono basis. She has never lost a case in that role.

As Co-Chair of the Civil Rights Committee of the Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. Bar Association, she continues to lead initiatives that influence policy, expand awareness, and support communities in need.

Rawsi Williams continues her work as an attorney, nurse, and veteran. Her career demonstrates a commitment to civil rights, justice, and service, with a focus on protecting those whose voices might otherwise remain unheard.