Brittany K. Barnett

While working several years as a corporate attorney, Brittany K. Barnett was committed to pro bono representation of clients buried alive in federal prison under draconian drug laws. Her dedication to this life changing work paid off tremendously, resulting in freedom for numerous people serving life sentences for federal drug offenses, including seven clients who received executive clemency from President Barack Obama. More recently, she was part of the legal team that helped secure clemency from President Trump for Alice Johnson.

As the daughter of a formerly incarcerated mother, Ms. Barnett knows first-hand the impact of mass incarceration is far reaching, devastating families and entire communities. Dedicated to transforming the criminal justice system, she founded two nonprofits to carry out her life’s work: the Buried Alive Project, which works to dismantle life without parole sentences handed down under federal drug laws and Girls Embracing Mothers, dedicated to empowering girls with mothers in prison. Ms. Barnett is also the founder of XVI Capital Partners and Milena Reign, social enterprises devoted to shifting the paradigm to show the world changing impact that formerly incarcerated people can have when they have access to resources not to merely survive, but to thrive.

Ms. Barnett is a graduate of Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law. She previously served as the Associate General Counsel at ORIX USA Corporation focusing on mergers & acquisitions and general corporate matters. Prior to her legal career, Ms. Barnett earned her license as a Certified Public Accountant and worked for international accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. She holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Accounting.

Ms. Barnett’s life-saving work has been featured nationally on multiple news platforms, including television and print. She has earned many honors, including being named one of America’s most Outstanding Young Lawyers by the American Bar Association.