Some people just know what they are meant to do from an early stage in life. Brittany is one of those people. In high school she could be found in the courtroom, watching the judges and attorneys in action as part of her internship with the Clerk of the Superior Court in Rockingham County, on the North Carolina-Virginia border. It was there, earning a small amount of class credit, that she recognized her internal drive to fight for people’s rights and argue for her beliefs when questioned. Brittany says the clerk there still remembers her sitting in the courtroom as a high school student, listening attentively to every word.

At first, Brittany had her sights set on criminal defense, but once she entered law school she honed in on family law. “For me, I want to feel like I’m making a difference,” says Brittany. “When clients come to me with divorce or custodial issues, their worlds are falling apart. They are in sensitive situations – they may be fighting for their children – so they need an attorney who they can trust and who will help them.”

While in law school and at the age of 22, she took her first flight on a trip to study abroad at University College Dublin in Ireland. There, Brittany lived with six friends in the dorms and explored much of Ireland. She learned that staying in hostels was not her cup of tea, after a single traveler tried to enter their room late in the evening and was mistaken for a thief.