Board Certified Specialist in Family Law | More Than 16 Years of Family Law Experience

When your family, your finances, and your future are at stake, you need more than an attorney—you need an advocate who knows how to fight for what matters while helping you find a path forward.

Waneta Ellis is a Board Certified Specialist in Family Law with more than 16 years of experience in family law with the last 9 of those years being devoted entirely to family law. Throughout her career, she has represented clients in some of the most difficult and consequential moments of their lives, including divorce, child custody, complex property division, high asset property division, financial support matters, and other significant family law disputes.

Waneta is a strong and tenacious advocate who does not shy away from difficult cases or difficult conversations. She believes her clients deserve an attorney who will listen carefully, understand what is truly at stake, and fight aggressively when their interests require it. At the same time, she recognizes that winning is not always about taking a matter as far as possible—it is about finding the right resolution for the client and their family.

That balance is at the heart of her approach to family law.

Experienced Advocacy. A Clear Direction Forward.

Family law disputes can leave people feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about what comes next. Waneta believes an attorney's role is not only to advocate, but also to provide clarity and direction throughout the process.

She works closely with her clients to understand their priorities, identify the issues that matter most, and develop a strategy designed around their individual circumstances. Whether a matter can be resolved through negotiation or requires courtroom litigation, she approaches each case with careful preparation, practical judgment, and a willingness to advocate forcefully when necessary.

Her goal is not to keep clients in conflict. It is to help them navigate the conflict, protect what matters most, and ultimately reach a resolution that allows them to move forward with their lives.

When litigation is necessary, Waneta is prepared to fight. When resolution is possible, she knows how to navigate it.

A Career Built on Advocacy

Waneta's commitment to family law developed from an early desire to advocate for people who needed a voice in difficult circumstances. Early in her path towards her legal career, she volunteered as a Guardian ad Litem, advocating for abused, abandoned, and neglected children in the courtroom and working to protect their best interests. Being the voice of a child who could not speak for themselves was one of the highlights of her career.

That experience reinforced her belief that family law is about far more than statutes and legal documents. Behind every case are people navigating complicated relationships, difficult decisions, and significant changes to their lives.

Over more than 16 years of practicing family law, Waneta has developed extensive experience handling both the legal and human complexities that accompany these disputes. She understands that every family is different, and she approaches each client's circumstances with the individualized attention they deserve.

A Trial Attorney Who Knows When to Fight—and When to Find Common Ground

Waneta's legal education included a concentration in trial advocacy, reflecting an early interest in courtroom practice. She remains comfortable in the courtroom and is prepared to vigorously advocate for her clients when negotiation alone cannot achieve an appropriate result.

But courtroom experience is only one part of effective family law representation.

An experienced family law attorney understands that litigation is not always the best answer. Sometimes the strongest strategy is a carefully negotiated settlement that gives a client greater control over the outcome, reduces unnecessary conflict, and allows the family to begin moving forward sooner.

Waneta brings both approaches to her practice: the willingness to fight when necessary and the experience to recognize when a thoughtful resolution is the better path.

Education & Professional Distinction

Waneta earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice Administration from the University of Phoenix before earning her Juris Doctor from Elon University School of Law, where she focused her studies on trial advocacy.

She is a Board Certified Specialist in Family Law, a distinction that reflects a significant level of experience, knowledge, and professional achievement within the field. Her decision to pursue board certification reflects the same commitment that has defined her career: continuing to develop her knowledge and skills so that she can provide her clients with knowledgeable, effective representation.

For Waneta, staying current on the law is not simply a professional obligation. It is essential to being the advocate her clients need.

Why Compass Law

The name Compass Law reflects the way Waneta approaches family law.

A compass does not choose the destination for you. It provides direction when the path ahead is uncertain.

Family law can feel much the same way. Divorce, custody disputes, financial decisions, and other family law matters can fundamentally change the course of a person's life. Waneta's role is to help clients understand where they stand, identify where they want to go, and develop a strategy to get there.

She provides strong advocacy when her clients need someone to fight for them, thoughtful guidance when difficult decisions must be made, and a steady hand throughout the process.

At Compass Law, the goal is not simply to get through your case. It is to help you find your direction and move forward with confidence.