Brittney Watkins
bwatkins@mrhfmlaw.com
Brittney is a Discovery, Research, & Writing Associate in the firm’s St. Louis office, where she has the privilege of representing clients tragically impacted by mesothelioma.
Brittney is a St. Louisan who has found her way back home after living in different parts of the country. Before joining MRHFM, Brittney was a law clerk at the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to Judge Danya A. Dayson, Deputy Presiding Judge of the Criminal Division, during Brittney’s clerkship.
Following her clerkship, she was a Staff Attorney at ArchCity Defenders on the Civil Litigation Team and Fatal State Violence (“FSV”) Project. Brittney supported families whose loved ones died due to law enforcement involvement or who died in custody, also known as “fatal state violence.” At ArchCity, she primarily handled complex civil rights litigation pursuant to §1983 concerning jail and prison conditions, killings by law enforcement, and in-custody deaths. These matters were before judges in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. These lawsuits often included state wrongful death claims. Brittney also worked on several Missouri Sunshine Law violation lawsuits in the Circuit Courts of St. Louis County and Cole County, Missouri. Additionally, Brittney represented clients at the municipal level for traffic and other municipal violations.
At ArchCity, Brittney was a movement lawyer and lobbied for policy change, led organizing efforts, drafted policies that were implemented at the local level, and regularly provided political education to the community to equip impacted individuals with the tools they needed to advocate for themselves. She also taught the Fatal State Violence Liberation Lab for the 2022 Law for Black Lives Lawyering for Liberation Conference.
Brittney is committed to continuously honing her legal skills to best serve her clients. In 2023, she was selected to participate in and underwent Movement Law Lab’s three-part Negotiations for Movement Lawyers intensive.
In 2016, Brittney received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Princeton University with a Certificate in Latino Studies. At Princeton, she received the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Journey Award in 2016 and the Albert Santos-Dumont Prize for Innovation in 2015 for her work to aid and support first-generation and low-income (“FLI”) college students.
Subsequently, in 2019, Brittney obtained her Juris Doctor from Washington University School of Law (“WashU Law”), where she also received a Certificate in Public Interest Law. At WashU Law, Brittney was a Staff Editor and Primary Editor for the Journal of Law and Policy. Her student note, “Kaepernick Can Kick It!: Employment Discrimination, Political Activism, and Speech in the NFL,” was published in the journal’s 59th volume. Brittney’s publication has been taught nationally in law school curricula and was a required text for the National Sports Law Institute’s 30th Anniversary Conference, held at Marquette University Law School. While at WashU Law, Brittney received the Scholar in Law Award. Additionally, in 2018, she was awarded The Bar Plan Foundation Scholarship following nominations from her professors and the law school Dean. In 2019, Brittney was honored as WashU Law’s Public Service Student of the Year, presented to the graduating J.D. student who has demonstrated extraordinary commitment and dedication to serving those most in need.
In 2023 and 2024, Brittney was selected as one of the National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 and the National Black Lawyers 2023 Top 40 Under 40. In 2024, Brittney was also chosen as The National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys Top 10 Under 40.
Brittney also speaks Spanish and previously served as a legal translator at Interfaith Legal Services for Immigrants and in WashU’s Immigration Law Clinic.
Outside of the office, Brittney most enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She also uses her spare time for various creative pursuits, including singing, playing the piano, sewing, writing, and graphic design. She also likes watching science fiction movies and TV shows, which she views as mini political theory experiments. Brittney is also an active member of her church and a Board Member of the Community Organization to Engage, Uplift, and Restore (“C.O.E.U.R.”) Foundation, which is the church’s non-profit organization. C.O.E.U.R. works to enhance and expand opportunities for healthy living, social awareness, urban economic community development, and educational achievement. C.O.E.U.R. hosts a yearly Thanksgiving Giveaway to provide low-income St. Louis families a Thanksgiving meal and offers annual free tax preparation to the local community.
Experience
Brittney started her career as a practicing attorney at ArchCity Defenders in St. Louis, MO, where she handled various complex civil rights litigation matters, Missouri Sunshine Law violation suits, and municipal matters.
Education
Washington University School of Law
St. Louis, MO
Princeton University
Princeton, NJ
Practice Area
Mesothelioma
