Vanessa was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and lived on the island until joining the United States Army. She served in the Army for seven years as a Paralegal Specialist with the Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps. As a Paralegal Specialist, Vanessa provided legal and administrative support to Army JAG lawyers and unit commanders in various areas of law such as criminal, contract, family, international, civil and administrative law.
Vanessa’s military service took her around the globe from Fort Riley, Kansas to Okinawa, Japan and back to Fort Drum, New York. During her military service she distinguished herself from her fellow soldiers and regularly held leadership positions. One of her proudest military achievements was when her unit in Okinawa, Japan, where she managed and trained 7 other paralegals, received the JAG Corps Excellence in Claims Award.
In 2015, Vanessa was medically retired from active duty as a Sergeant. After her military service ended, she decided to pursue a civilian career as a Paralegal and received a bachelor’s degree in Paralegal Studies from St. Petersburg College (SPC). While attending SPC, she was selected to work as the student office assistant for the Paralegal Program, volunteered as a member of the Legal Studies Society, and was a member of the Student Veteran Association. It was during her time at SPC that she decided she wanted to work to help her fellow Veterans.
Vanessa’s passion and commitment to helping her fellow Veterans make her a perfect fit to our firm. Her initiative, compassion, leadership, and attention to detail make her an asset to both our legal team and our clients.
Vanessa currently resides in Largo, Florida, where she enjoys the beach, exercising at her local county park and watching movies and documentaries. She has a passion for cooking, gardening, and loves spending time with her family and her adopted beagle, Ozzy.