Fort Lauderdale lawyer J. Samantha Vacciana has been appointed to The Florida Bar Foundation’s board of directors for a one-year term. As incoming president of Florida Legal Services, Vacciana has a designated seat on the Foundation’s board.

J. Samantha Vacciana

Vacciana has been the managing attorney at Trial Lawyers of Florida since 2012. She focuses her practice on criminal defense, personal injury, family and probate law. She has also been a professor at Florida Atlantic University in its paralegal program since 2006.

Vacciana earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Florida Atlantic University. She went on to earn her juris doctor at the University of Florida Levin College of Law. After graduating, she interned at Florida Institutional Legal Services, which has since merged with Florida Legal Services. In 2004, Vacciana was selected as an Equal Justice Works fellow to work on a domestic violence project for Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County. Her fellowship was jointly funded by The Florida Bar Foundation and Greenberg Traurig.

Vacciana has served as a member of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys, the Florida Bar Grievance Committee and the Broward County Bar Association.

She received the YWCA’s Women Making a Difference Award in 2007 and Outstanding Woman Award in 2018 for the difference she has made in the community and lives of domestic violence victims.

The Florida Bar Foundation accomplishes its mission by funding programs that expand and improve representation and advocacy on behalf of low-income persons in civil legal matters, improve the fair and effective administration of justice, and promote public service among lawyers.

In December 2023, The Florida Bar Foundation changed its name to FFLA. Posts prior to this date contain our former name.