Meet Brittney

Brittney Watkins (she/her) is an attorney, community educator, multi-hyphenate creative, and ever-learning abolitionist with a deep desire for people to be whole and well.

Much of her scholarly research and writing focuses on Black activism, political participation, fatal state violence, and the law. Her piece, "Kaepernick Can Kick It!: Employment Discrimination, Political Activism, and Speech in the NFL," was published in Washington University School of Law's Journal of Law & Policy'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.

Brittney is a personal injury attorney representing victims in toxic tort matters primarily involving asbestos exposure. Brittney has also litigated complex §1983 civil rights cases concerning killings by law enforcement and in-custody deaths (known as "fatal state violence") and jail and prison conditions. She has also ghost-written and consulted with legislative officials on policies at the local and federal levels.

She provides community political education in faith-based and non-faith-based spaces on various topics rooted in abolition, Black liberation, and Black feminist practices. Brittney's organizing work's primary focus has been fatal state violence and issues concerning the first-generation and low-income (FLI) community.

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She has received various awards, including Marquis Who's Who in America for excellence in Legal Services, the National Black Lawyers Top 40 Under 40, the National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40, the National Academy of Personal Injury Lawyers 2024 Top 10 Personal Injury Attorneys Under 40 in Missouri, Washington University School of Law's 2019 Public Service Student of the Year,  the Bar Plan Foundation Scholarship, Princeton University's Martin Luther King, Jr. Journey Award and Princeton University's Alberto Santos Dumont Prize for Innovation.​

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Brittney is an alumna of Princeton University (A.B. '16) and Washington University School of Law (J.D. '19).

Brittney is carried by her faith in Christ, her family, and her community. She believes there is work for everyone to do to combat oppressive systems and that it is never too late to get involved.