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Article of Interest

Making a Difference In the Lives of Others
By:  Kristy Blanchard, TYLA President-elect

Most of us get caught up in the everyday grind of our law practices and find little time to do much else.  This is not the case for Dallas lawyer Brittany Byrd. Brittany is an associate at Winstead’s Finance and Banking Group in Dallas. But that’s not all Brittany does. In 2006, Brittany’s mother was sentenced to an 8-year prison sentence. As a result of this experience Brittany, at the age of 22, created a non-profit organization called Girls Embracing Mothers (“GEM”) aimed at empowering young girls aged 7–17 whose mothers are incarcerated. GEM offers various programs to these girls that include providing enhanced visitation and communication for the daughters and mothers, mentoring, and character cultivation.

In addition to her work with GEM, Brittany also has a commitment to pro-bono representation. Brittany actively represents inmates who are first-time, non-violent drug offenders who have been sentenced to life in prison without parole. To date, Brittany has served countless hours representing these clients. This work has been recognized by the American Civil Liberties Union, and she is currently working with the ACLU to create a report exploring life-without-parole sentencing for those convicted of non-violent crimes.

Although Brittany has been practicing law only since 2011, she has already accomplished extraordinary things. Aside from her pro bono work and GEM, Brittany serves on the board of the Women’s Finance Exchange and is an active member of the J.L. Turner Legal Association, the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers. She also recently began work with Attitudes and Attire, a non-profit dedicated to promoting personal growth for women seeking self-sufficiency at transition points in their lives. She is an avid speaker to women on resume and interviewing skills.

Due to Brittany’s service, the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers named her the recipient of its 2013 Outstanding Young Lawyer Award. She has also been named the recipient of TYLA’s 2013 Outstanding Young Lawyer Award, and she will be recognized for her accomplishments at the State Bar Annual Meeting next month in Dallas. Congratulations, Brittany! You are an inspiration for us all.