Faculty Profile: Laquita Stokes

Laquita R. Stokes is the founding member of Stokes Family Law, PLLC, a law firm located in Memphis, Tennessee. She is licensed to practice law in Tennessee and primarily practices in the areas of family law: to include divorce, child support, visitation, custody and adoption cases, as well as car accidents, business and entertainment law. In 2013, Ms. Stokes was the lead attorney on a child support case before the Tennessee Appellate Court that changed the law as it relates to disestablishing paternity of a child.

Attorney Stokes is a Memphis native and graduate of White Haven High School, Vanderbilt University College of Arts & Sciences and the University of Kentucky College of Law. She is the 2022 President of the Ben F. Jones Chapter of the National Bar Association and under her leadership, the organization raised over half a million dollars, reached its highest active membership, gained several new sponsors, increased law student membership and involvement, increased law student scholarships, vetted over 60 candidates for the 2022 Shelby County Elections, hosted the NBA’s 97th Annual Convention, planned and executed several “Sold Out” events and the Ben F. Jones Chapter was named the “2022 Outstanding Affiliate Chapter of the Year” by the National Bar Association. She has served on the board of the Memphis Bar Association and Association for Women Attorneys. She currently serves on the boards of the Memphis Leadership Foundation, On- Location Memphis, Shelby County Law Library Board, and Charis Acres, a retirement home in Memphis.

She has received numerous awards and recently received the 2023 A.A. Latting Award for

Community Service and she was an honoree in the 2023 Curtis Givens “Power 30” Class. In 2022, she received the April “Front Line Woman Lawyer” and Achievement Award for "Outstanding Woman in a Solo/Small Firm" a recognition by the National Bar Association's Women Lawyers Division. She was also a recipient of the National Bar Association’s 2022 President's Award and an Honoree of the Nation's Best Advocates 40 under 40 Award (Class of 2022).

In 2017, she received the Tri-State Defender’s Best Overall Attorney and the 2017 Best Family Law/Divorce Attorney at the Annual Tri-State Defender’s Best in Black Awards. In 2018, She was a “Dress for Success” honoree as a woman with an Entrepreneurial Spirit. In 2019, she was an “Outstanding Citizen” honoree at the Memphis 2019 40 Under 40 Urban Elite Awards. In

2022, she received the NBA’s President’s Award, Nation’s Best Advocates 40 Under 40 Award, and the Women Lawyers Division Achievement Award for Outstanding Woman in a Solo/Small Firm.

She is also the Co-Owner of “Sapphire & Emerald” an online women’s clothing store, an active and financial member of the Memphis Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, and a faithful member of Cornerstone Church of Christ where her father is senior pastor. At her church, she serves on the tech and social media ministry team. She is the daughter of Jimmy L. Stokes Sr. and the late Peggie A. Stokes. She has two (2) brothers: Pastor Jimmy

Stokes, II & Corby Stokes; a sister-in-law, Akilah Stokes; one niece, Xaria Stokes, and one nephew Corby Stokes, II.

Her favorite slogan is: “When life throws you a basket full of lemons....don’t sweat...Just Make Lemonade!