Lisa A. Maniscalco

I attended the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1984.

I worked in the motion picture industry on feature films, television shows and commercials from 1984 to 2002.

In 1993 I made a decision to get my law degree. I took three years off to concentrate on law school and received my Juris Doctor degree in 1996 from The University of Memphis, Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law.

I was admitted to the Tennessee Bar in 1997 and began working for The Seale Law Firm in Memphis, Tennessee as an associate Attorney. This was a private law practice and my work focused on Probate Law, Intellectual Property, Contracts, Domestic Relations and general civil law.

In 2002 I was diagnosed with Leukemia and it was necessary for me to have a bone marrow transplant. I moved to Gainesville in 2003 to be with my family for my recovery and fell in love with Gainesville and Hall County and made it my permanent home. I was Admitted to the Georgia Bar in 2004.

I am about to celebrate 10 years in remission from Leukemia and I consider my recovery a miracle. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to pursue my goal to become Probate Judge in Hall County.

Since November of 2004 to the present I have dedicated my practice exclusively to work as a Court Appointed County Conservator/Administrator, Guardian Ad Litem and Attorney for the Hall County Probate Court. As a Conservator or Administrator I am responsible for maintenance, preservation and expenditure of property for the benefit of an Estate, an incapacitated adult or a minor child. Many responsibilities include dealing with DFACS, Social Security, Medicare and the Veterans Association; selling property; managing and investing funds, preparing inventories and accounting's. Responsibilities as Guardian Ad Litem include interviews with a proposed Ward or Minor, families and doctors. Preparing reports for the Court and assuring that all parties are working for the best interest of the Ward or Minor.

I am a member of First Baptist Church of Gainesville and I work part time in the Church nursery caring for children from infancy to 4 years old.

I am single and have no children. My parents moved to Gainesville from South Florida about 17 years ago and love living here. My Father, Charlie, is a retired New York City Firefighter and my Mother, Elsie, is a retired Nurse and Hospital Administrator, who now works as the Nursery Coordinator for First Baptist Church. My younger brother, Albert, is a jazz musician who lives in Chicago and works for a prominent international instrument manufacturer.

I am a member of the Georgia Bar Association and the Northeastern Judicial Circuit Bar Association.

Some other accomplishments I have enjoyed are:

1996: Winner of First Prize in the ASCAP Nathan Burkan Memorial Writing Competition at The University of Memphis, Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, paper entitled: A Basic Examination of Acquisition and Sale of Story Rights in the Motion Picture Industry:

1998-2002: Board Member of the Memphis and Shelby County Film and Television Commission

1999: Named one of "50 Women Who Make A Difference" by Memphis Woman Magazine

1999-2001: Member of the Board of Directors of two Non-Profit Corporations: The
Memphis Television Education Foundation and The Memphis Film Forum.

2000-2001: Programmer of the Indie-Memphis Film Festival.

My experience as an Attorney combined with my work as Production Coordinator on motion pictures has given me a unique perspective that is particularly valuable to a the duties of a Judge. I am capable dealing with a variety of people through a wide range of stressful personal and business circumstances. I am able to remain calm in a crisis, handle last minute problems and meet deadlines. I can weigh both sides of an issue and make an informed, unbiased and fair decision.