About

Born in Jackson, Mississippi, and reared on the Mississippi Gulf Coast in Biloxi, Mississippi, Amanda is a native Mississippian. After graduating in ​1998 from Biloxi High School, Amanda attended the University of Mississippi, wherein in 2002, she earned Bachelor's degrees in Psychology and English. While in college, she took care to do well in her studies. In addition to participation in multiple philanthropic activities, she served as the president of Psi Chi Honor Society, vice president of Sigma Tau Delta Honor Society, and an officer within the Phi Sigma Pi Honor Fraternity. ​ Amanda's passion for assisting others led her to enroll in the University of Mississippi School of Law. Amanda distinguished herself both in and out of the classroom. As a law student, she was admitted to practice law within the State as a student attorney under the Mississippi Limited Practice Act. She practiced law under the Second Circuit District Attorney's Office, where she assisted in the prosecution of felony criminal cases on behalf of the State of Mississippi in Harrison county. She also practiced within the Domestic Violence Division of the University of Mississippi School of Law Civil Legal Clinic, where she represented domestic violence victims. Amanda volunteered at North Mississippi Rural Legal Services throughout law school, where she assisted low-income individuals' legal representation in various civil matters. At the University of Mississippi School of Law, Ole Miss Law School, Amanda served as the president of the Law Association of Women, as an officer within the Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity, and a member of the Public Interest Law Foundation and Federalist Society. She graduated with her Juris Doctor degree, a law degree, in 2004. After graduating, Amanda began her legal career in Oxford, Mississippi, as the Mississippi Taxpayer Assistance Project Director, a Low Income Taxpayer Clinic. As the Director from 2005 to 2011, she managed a Statewide project while providing community services through representation and community education. She represented low to moderate-income taxpayers throughout the State in state and federal taxation, including representation before the Internal Revenue Service in the examination, appeals, and collection, and the United States Tax Court. In addition to serving as the Mississippi Taxpayer Assistance Project Director, given the legal needs of low-income individuals, Amanda also represented clients in family law, consumer law, bankruptcy law, estates law, and housing and poverty law. She also provided educational seminars to community members, including professional, civic, and academic groups, on estate planning, elder law, legal rights, asset building and protection, foreclosure prevention, landlord/tenant rights, and consumer protection issues and rights, and domestic violence. Given that Amanda grew up in Biloxi in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, she wanted to give back to her home. She, like many friends and neighbors, lost her family home. After she secured a grant to provide legal representation for Mississippians in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, in 2006 and 2007, Amanda was afforded the opportunity to serve as the Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps, Hurricane Katrina Initiative, Pro Bono Legal Corps Project Director. This grant provided her with the opportunity to give back to her community during a grave time of need. In this position, she supervised four (4) attorneys responsible for organizing volunteer (pro bono) attorneys in Mississippi and lawyers willing to assist from other states. This provided essential representation and education to victims of Hurricane Katrina. The Project allowed for several hundred attorneys, including out of state attorneys, to be recruited to represent individuals with legal issues stemming from Hurricane Katrina. From 2007 to 2011, Amanda was an Adjunct Professor at the University of Mississippi School of Law, where she taught law students within the Civil Legal Clinic, a clinical learning program. This position allowed her the opportunity to teach law students both substantive and procedural law in the area of taxation. Under Amanda's supervision, students represented low to moderate-income individuals with controversies before the Internal Revenue Service, Mississippi Department of Revenue, and United States Tax Court. Also, she supervised the students as they participated in community educational events. Working with students was one of the greatest joys of her legal career. Amanda was appointed to serve as an Executive Committee Member for the Mississippi Bar's Tax Section in 2010. She served on the committee until 2017. During her tenure with the committee, she served as secretary, chair, and vice-chair. Additionally, she was afforded the opportunity to co-author an Amicus brief submitted to the Mississippi Supreme Court on an important tax issue, and the relief sought was granted. ​ In 2012, Amanda opened her own law firm in Meridian, Mississippi. She was able to build a successful general practice law firm. It was a blessing to see her practice grow, and she enjoyed being able to give each client's case the attention that it deserved. She regularly represented clients in Chancery Court in family law and probate matters, including numerous bench trials. She also represented private clients in felonies and misdemeanors, including traffic offenses and DUIs, in multiple East Central counties. While maintaining her private office, she also served as a part-time public defender. She gained substantial legal experience in Lauderdale County, representing clients indicted on felony offenses, including felony jury trials. Additionally, she was appointed to felony and misdemeanor cases in Kemper and Clarke County, including DUIs. These court appointments allowed Amanda an opportunity to serve her fellow man by ensuring that even the most downtrodden in our community had their Constitutional rights protected. While in practice in Meridian, she was a member of several professional organizations. She served in several leadership positions in the Lauderdale County Young Lawyers and Lauderdale County Bar Association, including Vice President and President. In 2013 she was appointed by Judge Lawrence Primeaux to the Lauderdale County Access to Justice Committee. From 2013 to 2017, she served as the Mock Trial coach for Lamar High School and had several successful teams that competed and succeeded at the State level. She also served as the East Central District Director of the Young Lawyers of The Mississippi Bar from 2014 to 2016, after being elected by her peers across East Central Mississippi. Amanda closed her firm in Meridian in 2017, after she and her family were offered the opportunity to return home to Biloxi, Mississippi. When Amanda and her family returned to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Amanda accepted an appointment with the Harrison County Youth Court. Amanda worked with the Harrison County Youth Court from 2017 to 2020, with her primary representation of minors charged with delinquent acts (criminal offenses). She also provided parent representation for both parents at risk of having their child(ren) removed and those whose children had been removed and were in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Child Protective Services (MDCPS). Additionally, she served as a Guardian ad Litem, where she would make recommendations about the best interest of the minor child. Amanda resigned her position with the Court in 2020, after deciding to return to private practice. Amanda opened her firm in the heart of downtown Biloxi, Mississippi, in 2020. Her office is conveniently directly across from the Harrison County Courthouse, Second Judicial District. She represents individuals across the Mississippi Gulf Coast, including Harrison County, Jackson County, and Hancock County. She currently practices family law, taxation, wills and estates, consumer law, criminal law, and other general practice areas. Though she is in private practice, she provides volunteer work as a pro bono attorney and attorney mentor. ​ Amanda lives in North Biloxi with her husband, Jason, her high school sweetheart, and originally from Biloxi, the Woolmarket area. They have two grade-school children together. Her family attends regular church services in the area and is involved in various community outreach. Outside of the office, Amanda enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She also adores the nature that the Mississippi Gulf Coast offers, particularly the waters of the Back Bay of Biloxi.

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