Tampa, FL - Lawyers of Color (LOC) recently named 100 early- to mid-career minority attorneys under 40 from the Southern Region to its inaugural Hot List.  Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP is very pleased to announce that Vanessa Goodwin, associate in the Tampa office, has been named to this exceptional group.

The honorees were chosen through a two-pronged process.  The Lawyers of Color selection committee spent months reviewing nominations and researching bar publications and legal blogs in order to identify promising candidates.  It accepted nominations from mentors, peers, and colleagues.  It also made editorial picks based on researching attorneys who had noteworthy accomplishments or were active in legal pipeline initiatives.

Lawyers of Color, which was founded as On Being A Black Lawyer, has been recognized by the American Bar Association, National Black Law Students Association, and National Association of Black Journalists. Founded in 2008 as a news and resource center, the company has grown into a social media firm providing research, career development, and brand marketing opportunities to clients.

Prior to joining Shumaker, Vanessa worked as an Assistant State Attorney/Criminal Prosecutor for the Fourth Judicial Circuit in Jacksonville, Florida.  While at the State Attorney's Office, Vanessa handled a variety of criminal cases, ranging from misdemeanors to felonies punishable up to life in prison.

While in law school, Vanessa was a member of the University of Florida Trial Team and she was a Public Service Fellow for The Florida Bar Foundation.  Additionally, Vanessa earned Book Awards in Issues in Public Policy and Trial Practice.

Vanessa received her J.D., cum laude, from the University of Florida, Levin College of Law and her B.A., cum laude, from the University of Florida.

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Founded in 1925, Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP is a full service business law firm with more than 225 attorneys practicing in Toledo and Columbus, Ohio; Tampa and Sarasota, Florida; and Charlotte, North Carolina.