Patricia Dodson is an attorney with Brown, Terrell, Hogan, Ellis, McClamma & Yegelwel.
WHAT IS HER SPECIALTY?
Personal injury and wrongful death with some employment discrimination cases.
DISCRIMINATING TASTE
“The federal courts have so narrowly defined anti-discrimination that it ties the plaintiff’s attorneys’ hands. There are not many rights left under the law, so it’s very difficult to win a case.”
WHY GO INTO LAW?
“I have five older brothers so we grew up like a pack of wild wolves. It was a very competitive household. Working with trial attorneys and seizing the challenge is a way for me to use my competitive spirit for the good of my clients. It’s a desire to win; it’s challenging and competitive for me to produce good results. Plus, being a trial attorney I can use my performing arts background.”
HOMETOWN
Jacksonville.
EDUCATION
Performing arts was her first career choice and she took classes at Florida State University and Jacksonville University before shifting gears. She has a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of North Florida and a law degree from Nova Southeastern.
WHY DID SHE SETTLE ON LAW?
Not completely convinced that she wanted to pursue the performing arts, Dodson dabbled in other vocations. She took a position as a receptionist at a law firm and worked her way up to paralegal. Her experience there solidified her interest in the legal profession.
WHERE ELSE HAS SHE PRACTICED?
Dodson started as a prosecutor in the State Attorney’s Office. Four years later, she joined forces with Hal Catlin, an insurance defense lawyer. She’s been in her current job for two and a half years. “This firm took over the employment discrimination practice that Audrey Moran [Mayor John Delaney’s chief of staff] left. At Catlin and Dodson we defended cases against the clients that we now have, so I’ve come full circle.”
RESIDENCE
Mandarin is home (for the time being) for Dodson and her husband, fellow attorney Michael Whalen. The couple purchased 10 acres of marsh land in the Timucuan Preserve on Black Hammock Island, where they are building a home. Whalen has two children from a previous marriage, son Brooks and daughter Lauren, who attends the University of Florida.
PET PROJECT
Dodson is president of the First Coast Family Housing Foundation. “We provide affordable housing and social services for families such as after-school care and education for adults to get them into their own home. I’m pushing the organization to grow.”
OTHER INTERESTS
Traveling to the California wine country, golfing, tennis, cooking, gardening, singing, painting, drawing, playing the piano and skydiving. She also likes Thai food and classic movies.
WHY JUMP OUT OF A PERFECTLY GOOD AIRPLANE?
“It’s so much fun and it appeals to my adventurous nature. It’s almost euphoria. It’s such an exceptional feeling, incredibly exhilarating, peaceful, so many emotions at the same time, that it’s difficult to put into words. I’ve never had a bad day skydiving. I’ve played all sorts of sports but there is no comparison. It’s almost like a drug. I’ve done about 350 jumps now. My goal is to obtain a professional rating by the time the Super Bowl gets here so maybe I can jump into it with my husband’s team [The Art of Skydiving]. I’m not ready to jump into a stadium yet. It’s not just falling through the air; there’s body position, athleticism and the ability to do formations. You have to be qualified to jump [licensed through the U.S. Parachute Association]. It’s a highly regulated sport.”
— by Monica Chamness