Patricia A. Brandt

As a female police officer in a predominantly male environment, I’ve tirelessly demonstrated my physical and mental strength to earn equal treatment. After 15 years, I joined the SWAT team and became a police trainer. However, when I aimed to attend a firearms school to grow my career, I faced a figurative glass ceiling.

I was the sole woman competing in a demanding bullseye course, requiring a score of 240 points out of 300. I scored 260, outperforming a male coworker who scored 244, yet he was selected, his last chance after three prior failures. Ultimately, he failed the school.

The next year I was told I could not compete because it was time to allow two new male officers their chance. This irrational decision left me feeling powerless.

My experience of losing control over my own path drives me to fiercely advocate for my clients. I’ve stood where they stand, facing opposition, obstruction, and personal sacrifice, and it fuels my commitment to pursuing their claims, no matter the obstacles.

I chose to attend Southern University Law Center, a HBCU (Historically Black College and University), and it was the best decision I ever made. My law school fostered a strong sense of community and was committed to promoting diversity and inclusivity. SULC’s emphasis on social justice and advocacy met my desire to advance civil rights and address social inequities. Because of the incredible curriculum and the engaged professors, I did not have a single second thought about practicing law.

My great-grandfather, my grandfather, and my father inspired me to become an attorney. My great-grandfather practiced law in Louisiana. He fought tirelessly for the underdog in any dispute and represented many plaintiffs against large corporations. After my grandfather was admitted to the bar in 1950, he practiced law with his father. My grandfather served in the Louisiana state Legislature as an Administration Floor Leader and served as Chief Assistant District Attorney in New Orleans for four years. He began as a judge on New Orleans Municipal Court in June, 1963, and served there until his retirement. He was a combat veteran of World War II, having served with the United States Marine Corps on the islands of Roi, Namur, Saipan, Tinain, Iwo Jima, Okinawa and the initial occupation of Japan, retiring with the rank of major. My father began his career as a prosecutor for the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office. Since leaving the District Attorney’s Office, he continues to fight for individuals’ rights when they have suffered injury. These men shaped my sense of equity and justice and raised me to speak for those who cannot.