NCLW Leaders in the Law: Kayla Britt, Assistant Attorney General, North Carolina Department of Justice 

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Kayla Britt, Assistant Attorney General, North Carolina Department of Justice 

Raleigh, NC 

For Kayla Britt, the path to becoming an assistant attorney general with the North Carolina Department of Justice wasn’t always easy.

It took her two attempts to get through law school, overcoming significant adversity through grit and determination. After an academic dismissal in 2013-2014, she took two years off to get her Master of Public Administration degree and returned to law school, repeating her first year. She went on to graduate a semester early with honors.

“This journey has given me a testimony to encourage others and made me a more passionate and compassionate attorney,” she says. “This is one of the reasons why I make it my mission to support law students.”

Britt has a bachelor’s in criminal justice from Campbell University, where she was a Presidential Scholar. She received a Master of Public Administration degree from North Carolina Central University, where she was the class valedictorian and graduated summa cum laude, and went on to earn her law degree from NCCU, graduating cum laude with a certification in constitutional law and civil rights. She also received the Moss-Wigfall Academic Excellence Award.

Growing up: I grew up in Fairmont, N.C. but I attended school in Lumberton. Any time I wasn’t in school, I was in the family barber shop where I learned various communication and social skills very early in life.

Practice area: I work in civil litigation and focus primarily on Medicaid appeals. I came to this area of law to develop civil litigation skills, gain experience working with an agency as a client and working with expert witnesses. I believe Medicaid is one of the most important programs in the country, and as a former Medicaid recipient, I am proud to represent the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services in Medicaid appeals. 

First job: I was a cashier at Rite-Aid. I learned how to deal with the public in both good and bad circumstances. And I learned how to deal with people who are serious about couponing. 

Biggest career challenge: Trying to make myself marketable as a young attorney. I wasn’t in the top of my class, and I didn’t do law review or moot court, so I found it more difficult to highlight why I’d be a great candidate. 

Work/life balance: Create boundaries. For me, weekends are my time and I do not schedule work or law-related extracurriculars during that time.  

Childhood goal: I wanted to be a pediatric rheumatologist. I was diagnosed with Lupus at age 11 and I wanted to help kids like me. 

Favorite vacation spot: My favorite city is Chicago, but I love the Smoky Mountains and the Outer Banks. 

A month off: I would travel abroad for three weeks and rest for the last week.   

You didn’t know: I bungeed jumped in South Africa by one leg when my other strap came loose, and I have been approved for ground school after three tandem skydives.