Veteran Florida higher education attorney fills a position that became vacant last summer after the abrupt firing of Susan Woolf amid a governance dispute.
The University of West Florida has appointed David Fugett as its new general counsel, effective April 15. Fugett joins UWF from Polk State College, where he most recently served as executive vice president for Human Resources and Legal Affairs.
“His experience in Florida higher education will serve the University exceptionally well and will be an excellent resource to our team.” — President Manny Diaz Jr.
Role and responsibilities
As general counsel, Fugett will serve as a member of President Diaz’s senior leadership group, providing legal guidance in executive and policy decision-making. He will lead the Office of General Counsel and its team, manage outside counsel retained to represent the University, and oversee all legal services provided to UWF and its Board of Trustees.
30+
Years in legal practice and support
15+
Years in litigation and trial practice
5
Florida public institutions served
A career rooted in Florida public service
Fugett earned his bachelor’s degree from Toccoa Falls College and his J.D. from the University of Georgia School of Law. He went on to become a partner in an insurance defense firm and owner of a sole proprietorship, spending more than 15 years in litigation and trial practice before transitioning to higher education administration.
His subsequent career in Florida’s public sector includes roles at the Florida Department of State, New College of Florida, Florida Polytechnic University, and Polk State College. Throughout that time, he has delivered presentations, lectures, and classes on topics ranging from democracy and artificial intelligence to ethics in leadership.
“This is an exciting time at the University of West Florida. My three children graduated from public high school in Escambia County, and my wife and I love Pensacola. It truly feels like we are coming home.” — David Fugett, incoming General Counsel
A homecoming for Pensacola
Fugett’s ties to Escambia County add a personal dimension to the appointment. With deep roots in the local community, he expressed enthusiasm not just for the professional opportunity, but for returning to a city he and his family already call home. For more information on UWF’s Office of General Counsel, visit uwf.edu/gc.
Background: how the position became vacant
Fugett fills a seat that has been open since late July 2025, when then-General Counsel Susan Woolf was abruptly terminated. Julie Sheppard served as interim general counsel while Diaz filled the job.
On July 31, Inweekly reported that Interim President Manny Diaz notified the Board of Trustees that Woolf no longer worked for the university—with the actual notification delivered by Assistant Vice President Annamarie Mixon, who wrote that Woolf would cease serving “effective immediately.”
- The firing came hours after Woolf sent the board a memo detailing a dispute with Board Chair Rebecca Matthews over the selection of outside legal counsel for the presidential search committee. Woolf had recommended two attorneys she described as well-qualified; Matthews preferred a different attorney, one Woolf said lacked comparable experience.
Woolf cited UWF Policy GC-03, which grants the general counsel authority over the hiring of outside counsel, while acknowledging that the full Board—though not an individual trustee—could override that advice.
From Woolf’s memo to the board, July 2025
“The authority to hire outside counsel rests with the General Counsel. External legal counsel may be retained only through the Office of the General Counsel and where appropriate to protect the University’s legal interests. No individual trustee has the authority to make that decision for the Board.”
Woolf also warned that the presidential search “will be closely watched and potentially audited,” noting that she had not discussed the matter with Diaz directly because he had indicated he intended to apply for the permanent president position—which he ultimately won.
- No explanation for Woolf’s termination was ever publicly provided by the university.