Centers and Clinics
Guest Speaker I
Darryl Ervin Rouson
Senior Partner
Law offices of Rouson & Dudley, P.A.
Darryl Rouson has earned a reputation as a trailblazer in business and community. Attorney Rouson, who has been courted to the Republican party by the likes of Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist a mere two years ago, has recently begun his bid for the state Legislature as a registered Democrat. Rouson hopes to be elected to the District 55 seat now held by Rep. Frank Peterman Jr., who must step down because of term limits.
Mr. Rouson graduated from the University of Florida’s College of Law in 1980. In 1981, he became the first African American prosecutor in Pinellas County. In 2003, he was appointed the first Chairman of the newly formed Substance Abuse and Addictions Task Force for The National Bar Association. In the space of the 22 years in between, he recovered his life from a 16-year battle with drug addiction, and has re-emerged as one of the Bay areas most successful businessmen.
In addition to managing a thriving law practice, Attorney Rouson is the immediate past President of the St. Petersburg NAACP and is credited with re-igniting the branch as a force in community development. Under his leadership from 2001 to 2005, NAACP membership tripled as Mr. Rouson spearheaded one high-profile victory after the next. His crusade against the sale of drug paraphernalia landed him in jail when he was arrested for petty theft of 11 glass tubes (a.k.a. crack pipes) from a local convenience store. His self-financed 24-hour Gun Buy Back initiative was soon replicated by the Bradenton NAACP, recovered over 110 guns and brought increased attention to black on black violence. His successful lawsuit against a land-owner for gross neglect in a blighted area became the touchstone for a series of events that led to the community's first multi-million commercial investment in over 30 years.
These days, Mr. Rouson is investing more of his time and talent into building his law practice in the areas of real estate development, criminal law (federal and state), and personal injury. Mr. Rouson has counseled and co-counseled on small to multi-million dollar cases. Many of the settlements cannot be specifically mentioned because of confidentiality agreements.
Mr. Rouson is also a noted trial lawyer in criminal and complex civil cases. He has appeared as an analyst and consultant on CNN, CourtTV, ESPN, FOX News, Rita Crosby Live & Direct and Kathy Crier Live TV. He has been a commentator on Bay area television programs including Fox 13 Your Turn with Kathy Fountain.