Owner /Operator

Octavia Brown

Octavia Brown is a native Floridian from Plant City, Florida. She attended Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, graduating in 1995 with a degree in History and a minor in Political Science. She then attended Florida Coastal School of Law in Jacksonville, Florida, graduating in 2003. During her law school studies, she took an interest in the legal needs of families and children.

Her foray into law began with the Department of Children and Families, Children’s Legal Services in Jacksonville, Florida, Circuit 4, as an attorney. This position provided her with the immeasurable experience and knowledge of advocating in the courtroom for the needs and permanency of abused, abandoned, or neglected children. During this time, she became thoroughly familiar with the internal processes of the Department of Children and Families, their contract agencies, and the required services and supports to be provided to families and children during a time of crisis in order for children to reach permanency.

Next, she moved on to a position with the Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel (OCCCRC), also in Jacksonville, Florida. As an attorney with the OCCCRC, Octavia represented mothers and fathers in the juvenile dependency system after their children were removed from their care. Her fierce advocacy for her clients and their families led to her appointment as the Lead Attorney of the Civil Division for the 4th Circuit. In this position, she defended her clients against emergency custodial removals and termination of parental rights both in the circuit and appellate court. Octavia wrote and filed briefs on behalf of her clients to successfully reverse the termination of their parental rights; and because of her tenacious advocacy, she was acknowledged in the Parents Legal Advocacy group as the Parents’ Dependency Attorney in 2011.

In 2012, Octavia and her family returned to her hometown of Plant City in Hillsborough County, Florida. She continued her dedication to public service, working as a Senior Attorney and Lead Trial Attorney with the Guardian ad Litem Program in the 13th Circuit in Tampa, Florida. She used her extensive knowledge of the dependency system from her roles with DCF and OCCCRC to ensure that the most vulnerable children were provided with the dignity, care, and services they required.

In March 2016, she opened her law office, ONE Community Law Group, PLLC. Octavia built her practice to focus on the legal needs of family members who may be intimidated by the legal system, with a focus on amplifying the voices of families within the court system to have children swiftly returned to the care of their parents or placed in the care of biological relatives. In her current practice, she represents parents, grandparents and biological relatives in the dependency system across the state when their lives have been adversely affected by the dependency system.

Education

FLORIDA COASTAL SCHOOL OF LAW, Juris Doctor, 2003 

FLORIDA AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL UNIVERSITY B.S., History, Minor: Political Science, 1995, Cum Laude Graduate

Activities & Affiliations

• Member of Family Law Section, Florida Bar 

• Member of Public Interest Law Section, Florida Bar 

• Member of the Legal Needs of Children Committee, Florida Bar 

• Admitted to practice in the United States District of Court, Middle, Southern and Northern District of Florida 

• Member of Florida Justice Association 

• Member of the Preventative Legal Advocacy Program in the 13th Judicial Circuit- Hillsborough County

• Parents’ Dependency Attorney Recognition Award, Florida Dependency Summit, 2011