About Brittany
Brittany focuses her practice on the defense of civil rights claims. The bulk of her practice is focused on claims brought in correctional settings against correctional officers and medical personnel, but she also defends civil rights claims against constitutional officers and law enforcement.
Brittany has successfully handled federal law claims against government personnel including inadequate medical care, free speech, excessive force, equal protection, search and seizure, malicious prosecution, and due process. Brittany has successfully handled state law civil claims against government officials including medical malpractice, Virginia Constitutional violations, trespass, conversion, false imprisonment, defamation, and assault and battery. She also handles car accident cases brought against state and local officials. Brittany is well-versed in governmental immunity issues including qualified immunity, sovereign immunity, good faith immunity, and 11th Amendment immunity.
Brittany regularly practices in federal district courts, has successfully argued before the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, and has practiced in all levels of Virginia state courts.
Brittany also handles habeas corpus actions and writs of mandamus. She advises clients on FOIA compliance and has drafted memoranda of understanding to govern task force relationships and to govern relationships between law enforcement agencies and health care providers.
Brittany also serves as counsel to local Departments of Social Services handling adult guardianships and conservatorships, adult protective orders, petitions for emergency adult protective services, child and adult abuse and neglect cases, child protective orders, and emergency removal orders. Brittany has successfully handled child protective services appeals up through the state level administrative hearing.
Brittany also serves as counsel to hospitals handling guardianship and conservatorship petitions as well as advising on the Virginia Health Care Decisions Act, temporary detention orders, and judicial authorization of treatment.
In 2015, Brittany earned her B.A., summa cum laude and with distinction in Political Science from Mary Baldwin College with a minor in Mathematics. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. In 2018, she earned her J.D. from the College of William & Mary. During law school, Brittany practiced with the William & Mary Domestic Violence Clinic, including defending and seeking protective orders for her clients. She also practiced as an intern with the Hampton Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office prosecuting cases on the juvenile and domestic relations docket including domestic violence crimes and crimes committed by and against children.
Experience
TimberlakeSmith
Staunton, VA
2018 – Present
William & Mary Domestic Violence Clinic
Williamsburg, VA
2018
Hampton Commonwealth Attorney’s Office
Hampton, VA
2017