Vanessa Lane Jennings

Ms. Jennings is a native Floridian who grew up in Ocala, FL. 

Ms. Jennings focuses on criminal, contract and small business, family, and employment law. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Florida in Political Science, and after graduation, Ms. Jennings moved to Chicago where she worked on congressional campaigns as a political coordinator and organizer.  During her time on the campaign trail, she worked with and met a wide variety of people, and decided that she wanted to dedicate her life to helping people with their legal issues.

Ms. Jennings then went on to obtain her Juris Doctor degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School, where she was a member of the Thomas M. Cooley Law Review and a Board Member on the Journal of Practical and Clinical Law.

After law school, Ms. Jennings moved back to Florida and is now admitted to the Florida Bar and U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida. Her first job out of law school was at the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, where she worked as a prosecutor in the Domestic Violence Unit. During her time as a prosecutor,Ms. Jennings learned the art of intellectual flexibility: the ability to function well under pressure, while moving rapidly from one topic to another.  It is through this flexibility that she was able to truly hone her trial skills.

After working at the State Attorney’s Office, Ms. Jennings worked for a start-up technology company as its In-House Counsel.  While there, Ms. Jennings assisted with the development and implementation of internal policies and procedures; negotiated, drafted, and reviewed all agreements with the company's partners; and helped steer the new company in a positive direction.   In doing this, she not only advised the company on a plethora of legal topics, but she was also a contributing member of senior management and aimed to prevent future litigation. 

Ms. Jennings decided to further her knowledgebase concerning the practice of employment law, and was hired as an Associate Attorney in a small firm in her hometown. While there, she gained invaluable experience regarding a large spectrum of matters in the employment law arena, such as: the Family Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, Florida Minimum Wage law, the Florida Private Whistle Blower Act, Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992, employment contracts, and non-compete agreements.   

In January of 2013, Ms. Jennings opened the Jennings Law Firm, P.A., where she dedicates her practice to helping those in need of legal guidance in the areas of criminal defense, contract law, employment law, and small business. 

Ms. Jennings has also served as a volunteer and member of her local Junior League since 2009.

Ms. Jennings is a current member of Florida Association of Women Lawyers.