“I want to be helping people on the front lines” — Jennifer Brandt
Jennifer Brandt, a top-rated family law attorney, majored in political science at Rutgers.It was a big news day for Court TV: Kim Kardashian had filed for divorce from Kanye West. And as the network’s anchor launched into the broadcast, he told viewers: “Let’s bring in our legal experts to get a little more perspective on this situation.”
Jennifer Brandt RC’91 then joined the show, sharing her expertise gained from decades of handling high-profile divorce cases. Discussing legal strategy in the contentious case, Brandt took aim at the celebrity couple’s dueling social media posts.
“They’re fighting it out in public and that certainly is not the best thing for this couple or any couple,” she said. “These two need to be reined in by their lawyers and need to keep things quiet so that we’re not discussing this in public.”
For Brandt, the segment was all in a day’s work. A top-rated family law attorney with the multinational firm of Cozen O’Connor in Philadelphia, Brandt is a regular guest on Court TV and a sought-after figure for journalists seeking comment and context on big legal stories.
A New Jersey native who transferred to Rutgers, Brandt majored in political science and received her law degree from The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. She serves as chair of Cozen O’Connor’s Family Law group. Last year, she was elected Chair of the American Bar Association’s Family Law Section.
In the interview below she talks about how her Rutgers experience set the stage for a successful legal career and how she continues to stay inspired practicing family law.
Q: How did majoring in political science help prepare you for law school and your law career?
A: In political science, and I remember particularly at Rutgers, there were a lot of papers, a lot of writing and a lot of reading. And those are really important skills that you need in law school. In fact, at Penn I became a writing instructor, and I think that all the writing I did as part of my college days at Rutgers really helped me.
Q: You have attained a high degree of visibility in your career and are now a regular commentator on Court TV. Was there anything in the general Rutgers experience that was helpful in preparing you for the public-facing part of your job?
A: Yes, I think navigating a big university was very valuable. Making my way around the different campuses, getting to know my professors, and reaching that point where I could make a name for myself at the university helped me build confidence. Feeling comfortable speaking with people is what you need for television. So, I think a lot of the Rutgers experience definitely helped me, and especially coming in as a transfer student and not getting that same integration that people get when they're coming in as freshmen.
Q: What made you decide to pursue family law?
A: I like to be involved with people and get to know their stories, so family law seemed a perfect fit, as opposed to other areas of law where you might not have as much interaction with your clients. I also wanted to be in court. I wasn’t somebody who wanted to sit in the office doing research or writing briefs. I wanted to be out there helping people on the front lines. Family law is one area where there's a lot of opportunities to be in court.
Q: For the layperson, handling divorce cases might seem like a difficult job because you are witnessing and involved with the dissolution of relationships. How do you approach potentially difficult cases and how do you stay inspired in your practice?
A: I want to see my clients get the best result. That's what I always tell them, and I try to counsel them as well as be an advocate for them. It’s a hard situation, and they really need to understand the process, and to understand that it's not really a win or lose situation in family law.
It's a very emotional time for people and often their first foray into the legal system. I try to be understanding, compassionate, and patient. Because, while I can sometimes predict how a case might evolve, a client may not initially see that. It's a process, and my job is to help them through it.
Q: Any advice for Rutgers undergraduates who might be interested in law?
A: One of the big things for me was to really understand what lawyers do. At Rutgers, there are many resources; many alumni in the legal field, and I would advise contacting one of them to see if you could shadow them. Or you could go work in a law firm and see what lawyers actually do day-to-day because it’s different than what you might think, different than what's on TV. When I went into law school, I knew I wanted to be a practicing lawyer. But there are many other things you can do with a law degree, in business and in many other fields. If you are undecided, take some time to find out what lawyers do.