Attorney at Law Magazine First Coast sat down with immigration attorney Latangie Williams to discuss her career as well as her nonprofit work in the community.
AALM: What experiences and interests led you to pursue a career in the law and in immigration law in particular?
LW: As a child, I remember family always saying that I had the “gift of gab.” Consequently, I think it was a natural career path for me to land in. After finishing ninth grade, the infamous O.J. Simpson case grabbed my attention. I would come home from school and be glued to the television watching his trial. I became fascinated with becoming a lawyer.
Coming from an immigrant family that hails from Jamaica, immigration law appealed to me. I wanted to figure out why certain relatives were not able to immigrate here or obtain tourist visas. During my final year of law school, I desperately needed two courses to fit into my schedule so I could drive across town to pick up my 6-year-old daughter, Melayja, and 3-year-old son, Melik, from school and daycare on time. An immigration course and immigration clinic fit perfectly! It was truly a blessing.
AALM: How is your practice different today than you envisioned in law school? Did you ever consider any other career paths?
LW: I imagined myself a criminal defense attorney because of Johnnie Cochran. I cockily thought I would become known as “the female Johnnie Cochran.” I have considered other career paths. I contemplated becoming an obstetrician contemporaneously to developing a passion for law. I have also taught social studies for Duval County Public Schools and legal courses as an adjunct professor at Florida State College of Jacksonville.
AALM: Tell us a bit about your time working for Jacksonville Area Legal Aid.
LW: I worked in JALA’s Immigration Refugee Project in 2009 and that greatly enhanced my skills and experience. Not only did it expand my knowledge of various cultures and the plight of refugees around the world, it expanded my immigration work to refugee, parolee and asylee cases. Occasionally, I handle pro bono cases and participate in JALA’s “Ask-A-Lawyer” events.
AALM: What compelled you to launch your own firm?
LW: I had two, small kids when I began law school. As a single parent, I needed income to support them. Most immigration attorney jobs that I interviewed for were either in Texas, Arizona or South Florida. I was afraid to move so far away from family who helped with my kids. Additionally, I had family members in Jamaica and the United States sending many referrals my way. It just seemed logical to hang a shingle because it also gave me the flexibility I needed as a single mother.
AALM: Tell us about a case that has affected you professionally or personally.
LW: A case I handled at the immigration clinic at Florida Coastal law school involved a 14-year-old young lady who was the victim of rape at the hands of a man for whom she babysat. Both she and her mother were victims of abuse and human trafficking and had their documents taken from them as a means of controlling them. My client ended up pregnant, her mother strung out on drugs and later deported, and her two younger siblings put into the system. This case involved me working with the FBI. While pursuing the 40-year-old perpetrator, he had the nerve to have a heart attack and die! This scarred my client, but she has persevered. Occasionally, she pops up and calls me, and I am always grateful to receive updates from her.
AALM: Tell us about some of your legal mentors and the best lessons they shared with you.
LW: Ericka Curran was my professor and oversaw the immigration law clinic at Florida Coastal School of Law. She taught me EVERYTHING that I know. She guided how I approach cases with the use of translators and how to be as accommodating as I can to my clients.
Former Judge Pauline Drake has served as a beacon of knowledge and class and has shown me that sometimes it is the things we do for our clients outside of the courtroom that matter most.
Nancy Hale taught me strength and perseverance. She showed me how one could carry a lot on his/her shoulders and not break.
AALM: What goals are you still hoping to accomplish in your professional career?
LW: I aspire to write a book, which will cover my life story and overcoming adversity. It is my hope that it will encourage others and help them see that you can accomplish anything with God on your side.
AALM: Tell us about the nonprofit you founded Jamaicans United.
LW: Jamaicans United, Inc. was founded to assist with social issues faced by the Jamaican diaspora. These range from elder care, education and poverty. In 2017, we adopted an infirmary and provided the residents with care packages, games, a Wii to get them moving, and a large screen television because the facility didn’t have one on the property. It was heartbreaking to see the elders lying around with nothing to do. We also have held a Jerk Turkey give-a-way for Thanksgiving here in Jacksonville. We aim to assist Jamaican children with their school fees as well as desire to adopt a children’s home to provide Christmas gifts too. Each year, we present Jamaica at the annual World of Nations event and in 2025, we will have hosted Jamaica for 12 years!
