Name: Vanessa A. De Rosa
Age: 27, next month
Family: My wonderful husband, Chad E. Lipsky, and my UCF-bound 17 year-old brother, Victor S. De Rosa (Go Knights!)
Pets: Two active dogs
Education: University of Central Florida, with honors, 2004 and Stetson University College of Law, 2007
Admitted to the Bar: 2007
Employed by: Eraclides, Johns, Hall, Gelman, Johannessen & Goodman, LLP
Field of practice: Workers’ Compensation Defense and Medicare Set-Aside Compliance
Professional organizations: Jacksonville Hispanic Bar Association, 2009-10 President; North Florida Friends of 440 Scholarship Fund Inc., 2010-11 Treasurer; Stetson Lawyers Association Advisory Council, 2009-12; Ronald McDonald House Discovery Circle; National Alliance of Medicare Set-Aside Professionals; Jacksonville Bar Association; Jacksonville Women Lawyer’s Association; Hispanic National Bar Association, 2006-07 President, LSD-Florida.
Community involvement:
Recently, I have used my role as President of the Hispanic Bar Association to work with the JBA/JALA on expanding its “Ask-A-Lawyer” pro bono initiative to the Spanish-speaking community as well by working with our bilingual members and committing to support the event.
I am also presently serving as treasurer of the North Florida Friends of 440 Scholarship Fund Inc., a non-profit organization that is committed to raising scholarship funds to aid dependents of workers who suffered from a work-related injury and as a result are limited in their ability to go to college. Of note, our first event of the year, Biker Blast III, will be co-sponsored with the Rotary Club and held at the Jacksonville Landing on February 27 at 11 a.m. It’s a family event, free to attend, and there will be a drawing to win a Harley Davidson or $5,000 in cash. Net proceeds will benefit the 440 Scholarship Fund and Wolfson Children’s Hospital. Contact me for information on purchasing tickets for the Harley drawing at [email protected] or 306-9955.
How did you get involved?
I sought out organizations or causes that interested me. From there its a snowball effect, I offer an idea, volunteer to aid in the idea’s execution, and bam, I am actively participating. Then from that organization or event, I am usually introduced to people that leads me to become involved in something else!
How can someone else get involved?
Check out the Legal Calendar section of the Daily Record and see what organizations or events jump out at you. Go to an event, introduce yourself and ask “How can I help?” If you want to do something outside of the legal community, I always like: www.handsonjacksonville.org . There is a “Project Calendar” were you can view and register for all sorts of volunteering events.
What have you learned/achieved through the experience?
There is always time to do something extra if you make it. If I achieve only one thing, I hope it is to make the most with the talents I was blessed with and that those talents were used to selflessly help others.
What was the last book you read or are reading?
“Undomestic Goddess” by Sophie Kinsella.