Vanessa Cantley has experienced great success representing injured people in Kentucky and Indiana state and federal courts. For example, she recently represented the plaintiffs in a products liability case in which, after a two week jury trial, the jury returned a $5.9 million dollar verdict in favor of her clients. Vanessa also has valuable legal experience from the defense perspective. She clerked for Frost Brown Todd, LLC, the largest defense firm in the region, while in law school.
Vanessa earned her Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville, graduating with honors (cum laude). While in law school, she was elected by the law school student body to serve as their President. She was a member of the American Trial Lawyers Association mock trial team and the National Moot Court Team and earned the highest grade in her class for Trial Practice. Vanessa also founded the nation's first Student Bar Foundation, which now serves as a model to other law schools nationwide.
Vanessa holds two Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degrees, one in Psychology and another in Sociology, from Bellarmine University where she graduated with honors (cum laude). While at Bellarmine, Vanessa was a four-year member of the American Mock Trial Association program. She was named an All-American attorney for two years, (earning top attorney in the nation honors), and was a member of the National Championship Team during her senior year. On the road to a national championship, her team bested many elite programs such as Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Princeton, and over 300 other schools.
Vanessa’s litigation practice focuses on personal injury actions including automobile accidents, wrongful death, defective products, professional malpractice, dog bite injuries, and employment discrimination and wrongful termination cases. She currently serves on the Board of Governors of the Kentucky Justice Association and was recently appointed by the Jefferson District and Circuit Courts as a guardian ad litem to advocate on behalf of clients in disability hearings and family court.
Vanessa grew up in southern Indiana and currently resides in Louisville, Kentucky with her husband (and law partner) Shawn Cantley, and their son, Lawson.
