Volunteer of the Month-December 2024

Brittni Tanenbaum of Womble Bond Dickinson

Born in Southern California, Brittni attended the University of California, Santa Barbara, graduating in 2010 with dual degrees in Psychology and Anthropology. Upon completing her degrees, Brittni then served as an AmeriCorps member, working directly with elementary school students in Oakland and Berkeley. Her keen interest in public welfare led her to explore various organizations geared towards assisting disadvantaged youth, something she would continue to explore throughout her professional development. In 2018, Brittni formally entered the Las Vegas legal community at the William S. Boyd School of Law, University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Although public welfare had always been a focal point of Brittni’s career, it was during her time as a law student that Brittni began providing community assistance in a legal capacity. As a student, Brittni participated in numerous initiatives at the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada, including the Pro Bono Appellate Program and Partners in Pro Bono Program. For her continued commitment to public interest, Legal Aid Center chose Brittni as our 2019 Melanie Kushner Access to Justice Fellow, where she assisted in a rule-change initiative to broaden the admittance of pro bono attorneys. In addition to her work at the Legal Aid Center, Brittni also took on multiple pro bono cases as a certified student attorney. By the end of her academic career, Brittni graduated cum laude from William S. Boyd.

Following law school, Brittni clerked for the Honorable Justice Lidia S. Stiglich of the Nevada Supreme Court before eventually onboarding as a litigation associate at Womble Bond Dickinson (formerly Lewis Roca). Brittni cites her pride in Lewis Roca’s long-standing commitment to pro bono participation and her enthusiasm for joining Womble Bond Dickinson to continue this legacy. When questioned about her interest in pro bono work, she states: “Pro bono work is an important part of my practice because of my own personal history, coupled with things I learned from the young people I worked with prior to law school who were constantly interfacing with legal systems.” Brittni expresses that the legal system is both complicated and ‘challenging to navigate,’ making it difficult for individuals with limited resources to obtain legal recourse. This perspective resonates with Brittni, revealing: “As a first-generation attorney, I understand the legal knowledge and skills we gain along the way are a privilege that we should share with our neighbors to minimize these disparities.”

These values are apparent in Brittni’s volunteer work with the Legal Aid Center. For instance, when prompted to discuss a memorable pro bono case, she recalls a 1983 Civil Rights case wherein a correction officer injured her client. She reflects, “Our client had been navigating the legal system on his own for several years, including an appeal. Despite filing his case several years prior, our client had not yet been able to conduct discovery.” Soon after, Brittni and a colleague joined this client’s cause, they were able to secure a favorable outcome through a settlement at the conclusion of a jury trial. Brittni offers a heartfelt piece of advice to other fellow attorneys, “I believe pro bono service should be a part of every attorney’s practice, especially given the reported significant access to justice gap in Nevada, because we all possess unique skills as both attorneys and individuals that can greatly assist our neighbors.”

For her dedication and commitment to pro bono, we honor Brittni as our December 2024 Volunteer of the Month.