Britney Firmin

Who are you? Tell us about yourself!

Hi, my name is Britney Firmin and I’m a 2E at Georgetown Law! I was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts.

My family is from Haiti and Jamaica and I have immense pride in the lineage I descend from. Growing up, I was an avid reader, dreamer, and writer. Cooking has brought me closer to my culture and my grandmother, a matriarch whose Haitian cuisine is world famous in my eyes. In high school, I increasingly became drawn to studies of history, race and politics. In college, I found my voice to begin imparting change in the ways that mattered most to me. My prior campaign work and federal government internships empowered to leverage law and policy as a tool for social change.

Now, I love making playlists, learning and trying new recipes, traveling to different countries, and just spending time with my friends and loved ones.

What drew you to Georgetown’s Tech Law Scholars Program?

I was drawn to the Tech Law Scholars Program with intersecting interests in data privacy, race, and consumer protection. With my background working in the federal district court system coordinating jury trials, paired with my current role as Data Analytics Lead at Cambridge Associates, I was drawn to this program so that I’d be able to understand the technology policies that shape data accessibility and innovation. And with opportunity to understand the disparate impacts of these developments on marginalized communities, I was eager to join a cohort that would challenge me to explore the complexities of these issues embedded in the automated systems that power our society. I’m grateful for the guidance and mentorship I’ve received thus far.

Why were you interested in becoming a Fritz Family Fellow? What research do you plan on pursuing as a Fellow?

I first was eager to join a long term research project where I’d be able to lean into legal research on a technology policy related topic outside of the classroom. That opportunity came through the Redesigning the Governance Stack Project. Being a Fritz Family Fellow allows me to pursue my intersecting technology and society interests in support of a tangible project that can impart change and address dilemmas in our existing systems of technology policy. As a fellow for the Redesigning the Governance Stack Project, I’m working with Professors Julie Cohen, Meg Jones, and Paul Ohm conducting research on statutes and legal scholarship that undergird the administrative state, contributing to the Project’s mission of reinventing the administrative state’s governance to better center public values.

Tell us about your work experience before law school! How did these experiences pique your interest in tech law and criminal justice?

Prior to law school I worked in the federal court system coordinating jury trials. That experience exposed me to the operational facets of the criminal justice system and now motivates me to work closely with marginalized communities like my own to generate social change. I hope to learn more about how our digitized carceral state affects people of color to be better equipped to advance social justice in the digital age.

What advice do you have for incoming Georgetown Law students that want to get involved with tech law opportunities?

I’d highly recommend joining the Tech Law Scholars program! It’s a great way to receive mentorship and a community of support as you navigate law school. I knew coming in that I was interested in the tech law space, and I find that through this community I’m able to navigate the various pathways with a clearer vision of where I see myself.

What interests do you have outside of law?

I love cooking and learning new recipes, making playlists, and spending time with my friends and loved ones!