Vanessa’s Specialty is Helping Arkansans Find Long-Term Financial Security Through Debt Management, Planning, & Bankruptcy Solutions.

Q: Can you share with our audience, the types of law you specialize in?
VCA: My areas of practice mainly focus on consumer and business bankruptcies. I also handle civil litigation, contract disputes, and probate matters.  

Q: What is your approach or philosophy to winning or representing a case?
VCA: Representing clients means listening to them and clearly communicating to my clients how and in what ways I can help them meet those goals. 

Q: Can you share with our audience the type of pro-bono work you do?
VCA: I have teamed up with VOCALS (Volunteer Organization of Center for Arkansas Legal Services) with Arkansas Services to assist low-income parties facing mortgage foreclosure, garnishments, and other collection attempts by creditors. 

Q: If we interviewed all your past clients … what is “one” common word that comes up when they describe working with your law firm? 
VCA: Honesty

Q: What are the best practices you have employed to build a successful career? 
VCA: A successful career is much more than how much money a lawyer makes, or how many staff members or offices he or she has. A successful career is built on, not only hard work, but simple qualities like honesty and kindness. It doesn’t break a bottom line to have integrity and be kind to people. 

Q: What has been the most interesting legal issue you’ve dealt with in your legal career?
VCA: The most interesting legal issue I’ve dealt with came up on the day we were pounded with 20+ inches of snow here in February. I got a call from a client who had received notice that an Involuntary Bankruptcy Case had been filed against his company. Because Involuntary bankruptcy cases are so rare, it was intriguing to dive into this one. 

Q: What is it about your job that most excites you?
VCA: Without a doubt, it’s the camaraderie I have with my law partners. We all enjoy working together, helping clients, and building relationships with people. Partnering up Dustin, Charlie, Katie, and Jon has been the best decision I’ve made in my professional career. 

Q: What’s one lesson you’ve learned in your career that you can share with our audience?
VCA: It’s taken me a few years, but I have learned to ignore a lot of excess “noise” that’s out there and separate myself from disingenuous folks. I quickly left a company when I found that they encouraged a culture of rudeness and dishonesty in its workplace. Learning to quickly separate myself from such destructive mindsets has been a game changer. 

Q: Which woman inspires you and why? 
VCA: There are too many to name just one. So many women have paved the way for us today from fighting for and standing up for equality (Rosa Parks, RBG, Eleanor Roosevelt, Megan Rapinoe, Malala Yousafzai) and creating breakthroughs in science and social welfare (Mary Montagu, Jane Addams).

Q: What are some of the challenges you feel women face today?
VCA: Although a lot of progress has been made, especially in a time of post “Me-Too,”  women still face challenges of working and raising a family. Women are not guaranteed paid maternity leave, and, while some companies have begun allowing some sort of leave for new fathers, it isn’t the norm.  

Q: Can you tell us how you manage your work life balance?
VCA: I’ve gone back to keeping a large paper calendar at my desk, so I have a constant visual of the upcoming appointments, games, school functions, court hearings, meetings scheduled for the upcoming week and month. 

I’m fortunate that the legal profession is one of those that can continue while working from home or remotely when a child is sick or when there is a pandemic. While it can certainly get crazy at times with everyone at home while I’m working, I remain grateful for the options of “mute” and “turn off video.” I have also been fortunate for the opportunity to co-own a law firm with four other incredible attorneys with big hearts. Katie and I both have young children, and one of our paralegals has young children as well. We have created a workspace where children can be at our office if needed when they are not in school. Complete with all the snacks and Disney Plus a child needs on a day off from school. 

17 Things About Attorney Vanessa Cash Adams

1. What’s your favorite thing to do in your free time? 
I love to travel with my kids, both far and near. A few of our favorite things to do is hike Petit Jean, Pinnacle, canoeing, visit the Memphis Zoo, and drive through the Smoky Mountains on our way to visit family. 

2. What’s the most amazing adventures have you’ve ever been on?
I spent a month in the Philippines visiting family when I was 11, went to Guatemala in my 20s with a team of doctors and nurses, and hiked the Costa Rican rainforest in my 30s. These were such memorable and amazing adventures. 

3. Among your friends, what are you best known for? 
I just asked a few of them, and they came back to me with “Compassion” 

4. What’s your favorite international food? 
My mom’s Filipino cooking!

5. What’s the most spontaneous thing you’ve done? 
I bought a plane ticket and flew to Paris by myself.  

6. Are you a morning person or a night owl? 
Morning person for sure. It’s hard for me to stay up past 8 most nights. I absolutely love the quiet and still moments before the sun rises. 

7. What would your perfect vacation look like? 
Tropical beach, lots of sun, ocean breezes, with just a few people around. 

8. Tell me about the best vacation you’ve ever taken. 
It was exhausting but it was so fun – we (especially our kiddoes) absolutely loved a cruise we took a few years ago to Honduras and Belize. Also exhausting - but so fun for the whole family - is, of course, Disney World and Universal Studios. We are big Harry Potter, Jurassic World, and Disney movie people, so these parks are never disappointing on the thrill level. 

9. What’s your signature drink? 
Selzer Water – any flavor 

10. What would you sing at Karaoke night? 
“Refried Dreams” by Tim McGraw  

11. Have you ever met anyone famous? Who? 
I have! A couple years ago, I met Mark Ruffalo while taking my son for a stroll in Manhattan. He had just walked his daughter to school. My son couldn’t believe he had met the Hulk!

12. Which of the five senses would you say is your strongest? 
Eyesight. 

13. What were you like in high school? 
I was not cool - But wanted to be. 

14. What would your perfect Saturday be like? 
Quiet early morning walk with my coffee and my dogs, Lula, and Lilly. A day of hiking or biking with husband Bryan and our kiddoes – and watching an entire movie at the end of the day without falling asleep. 

15. Would you rather cook or order in? 
Definitely Order in

16. What was your favorite subject in school? 
History

17. Cake or pie? 
Coconut Cream Pie