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ABOUT BRITTANY
Brittany K. Barnett is a visionary attorney, author, and social entrepreneur committed to creating change at the intersection of hope, justice, and freedom. As the founder of Manifest Freedom, she has implemented effective investment models to support individuals impacted by the criminal legal system, with a focus on economic justice, advocacy, and reshaping narratives.
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Brittany’s commitment to justice is deeply personal. As the daughter of a formerly incarcerated mother, she experienced firsthand the far-reaching impacts of mass incarceration, fueling her passion to transform the criminal legal system. As a corporate attorney, Brittany devoted countless pro bono hours to fighting for the freedom of individuals unjustly sentenced under federal drug laws, securing executive clemency for seven clients from President Obama. She went on to co-found the Buried Alive Project, securing the release of more than 65 individuals serving life sentences under outdated drug policies. Through her decade long leadership of Girls Embracing Mothers, Brittany has also empowered thousands of women and girls impacted by maternal incarceration.
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​Her memoir, A Knock at Midnight: A Story of Hope, Justice, and Freedom, was an NAACP Image Award nominee and Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist and was named the #1 Best Book of 2020 by Amazon Editors. Brittany’s TED Talk titled “The Creativity, Innovation, and Ingenuity Languishing in US Prisons” has garnered over 1.7 million views, inspiring a new vision for justice and freedom in America.
Brittany is a graduate of SMU's Dedman School of Law and recipient of the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award. She previously served as Associate General Counsel at ORIX USA Corporation, specializing in mergers and acquisitions. Prior to her legal career, she was a Certified Public Accountant and worked at PwC. Brittany holds both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Accounting.
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This life has taken me on a remarkable journey – one that continues to transform my understanding of justice and the very definition of freedom itself. Every day I celebrate the lives of the many people who have given me the privilege to represent them. In many ways, they have freed me too.
May we always evolve in perfect alignment with the most authentic, purest versions of ourselves.
BRITTANY K. BARNETT
