Florida Child Injury Law Blog

Jim is a second generation native Floridian. A graduate of Florida State University, he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree and law degree from Florida State University, where he graduated with honors in 1972.

Jim served in the Air Force for four years as a JAG prosecuting and defending criminal cases. He returned to Florida in 1977, and served as an Assistant State Attorney in Clearwater for 5 1/2 years. At the State Attorney’s Office, Jim was part of a special prosecution team handling only career criminal prosecutions until he became the supervising attorney for the entire Clearwater office.

After leaving the State Attorney’s office, Jim joined the Tampa office of the Justice Department as an Assistant United States Attorney. He defended law suits filed in Federal Court alleging medical malpractice against  physicians practicing at the Veterans Administration, US Air Force and Naval Center hospitals in Florida.

Jim entered private practice in 1984, joining an established Clearwater firm, where he became a partner, and remained for 17 years. During this time his practice became one exclusively focused on personal injury litigation.

In 2001, Jim opened his own practice devoted to representing those whose lives have been affected by the wrongful act of another, including: car accidents and  truck collisions, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian/crosswalk and bicycle injuries, injuries to minors and children, slips/trips and falls and unsafe premises ,wrongful death and medical malpractice.

Jim is a member of numerous professional organizations in addition to the Florida Bar Association, Florida Justice Association, American Association for Justice, St. Petersburg Bar Association, Clearwater Bar Association (where he served as President 1992-93), and the Mid-County Bar Association, (which he currently leads). In addition to belonging to other professional organizations, Mr. Dodson is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum for trial lawyers that have achieved a trial verdict, award, or settlement in the amount of One Million Dollars or more through their exceptional skills, experience, and excellence in advocacy. His peers have awarded him the highest possible rating for legal ethics and abilities, rating him AV®, Peer Review Rated.*

In the community, Jim has served for many years on the board of Isaiah’s Inn, a non-profit ministry serving families in need of temporary housing and support. He and his family have been actively involved in their church. For over twenty years, Jim has also attended, and often assisted in leading, a men’s community Bible study group.

Jim and his wife, Pam married in 1972. Pam has a Master’s Degree in Special Education and taught for many years. They have two grown children, Courtney and Mark. Courtney resides in San Francisco with her husband and daughter. Mark and his wife are both in medical school at UCLA. Although many miles separate Jim and Pam from their children and grandchild, they are frequent visitors to the west coast and Jim and his son often look for opportunities to meet for mountain biking trips. Despite the distance, he and his wife remain actively involved in the lives of their children and granchild. Jim has had a lifelong interest in running and fitness, as well as,other outdoors activities such as golf, biking and boating.

* CV, BV and AV are registered certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties, Inc., used with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards, and policies.