Lemonds, Jim

Vangela M. Wade practices in the area of Family Law, Wills and Estates, Elder Law and Life Planning.  As a Family Law attorney, she handles cases of divorce, child custody and visitation disputes, child support, premarital agreements, legitimation, paternity, other family law matters.  In the area of Wills and Estates, Vangela counsels and represents clients in drafting wills, trusts and life planning necessities such as powers of attorney, health care directives and asset protection in the sunset years.

Her practice also includes representation in Misdemeanor and Felony Expungements. She represents clients seeking to have past criminal charges, arrests and convictions expunged from their records that may interfere with employment, school and other life endeavors.

In addition to her legal practice, Vangela also provides consulting and training diversity and cultural competency as well as fair employment practices to corporations, governmental agencies, education and health care institutions, nonprofit organizations and coaching to individuals. She has extensive education and experience in the areas of diversity management and cross-cultural communications.

Vangela began her legal career in public service. Upon graduating from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1996, Vangela served as judicial law clerk to Judge Leslie D. King at the Mississippi Court of Appeals.  In 1997, she served as a Special Prosecutor with the Madison/Rankin County District Attorney's Office under District Attorney John T. Kitchens.

Following her term with the District Attorney's Office, Vangela practiced law with one of the largest corporate defense law firms in Mississippi and later with the third largest boutique labor and employment law firms in the United States where she represented clients in management in labor and employment law matters. She focused primarily on cases arising under Title VII, the Equal Pay Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Act. Vangela continues to conduct independent investigations for employers seeking impartialness and objectivity in employee complaints and grievances.

In 2004, Vangela completed Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Diversity Management Program. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in political science from Mississippi State University, in 1984.

Vangela is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys; American Bar Association, Mississippi, Magnolia Bar Association, Capital Area Bar Association, and Madison County Bar Association. In June 2011, she completed a three-year term as the Minority-at-Large member of the Mississippi Bar Association Board of Bar Commissioners.   In 2011, Vangela served as Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project's (MVLP) Feinberg Grant Coordinator and Counsel assisting low-income people having losses due to the 2010 Gulf oil spill.  Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project awarded Vangela its Pro Bono Volunteer Award in October 2011 for exceptional service in Family Law matters to low-income persons. Vangela serves on the Board of Trustees for St. Andrew's Episcopal School, in Ridgeland, MS. She is also on the Board of Directors for the Center for Ministry, at Millsaps College, in Jackson, MS. Vangela's past activities and service include Leadership Jackson Alumni Association, Class of 1999-2000; (Inaugural Member) Mississippi Supreme Court Task Force on Gender Fairness, 1998 to 2009; Top 40 Under 40, 2000; American Bar Association Section of Labor and Employment Law's Law School Student Outreach Coordinator, 2002-2008; and Board of Directors of Operation Shoestring, Jackson, MS.