Brittany Burns, L'16

Brittany's headshot

Current Title and Employer: Chief Executive Officer, Simpler Trading

Current Location: Austin, TX

Describe your job in 50 words or less: I set the strategic direction of the business, identify and communicate innovation opportunities, and cultivate relationships within the financial education industry.

Explain how your got to your job in 100 words or less: I worked full time my 2L and 3L year at a fintech startup in RVA. The former CEO of that company moved to COO of Simpler Trading and engaged me for some compliance consulting. I joined the company full time in December 2018 working in Business Development, was promoted to CMO in July 2019, and to CEO in November 2019.

What makes you passionate about your work, in 100 words or less? Helping people find their purpose and grow in their careers. I’m honored to be trusted with the livelihood of 97 employees and believe it’s my responsibility to empower each of them to achieve their goals, both personally and professionally. 

What about your legal education is most useful to you in your everyday work, in 100 words or less? My law school training helps me to think critically, consistently, and to identify risks and opportunities in a quickly evolving industry. New media sources and trends continuously disrupt our industry, and we must balance innovation, integrity and compliance in everything we do.

What are 3 pieces of advice you’d offer to current students interested in a career path?

    1. Be open to different opportunities. I entered law school thinking I wanted to pursue lobbying/advocacy. However, I realized I was much more passionate about regulation and rulemaking after my 1L Legislation & Regulation class. That lead me to find an internship at WealthForge, where I said yes to any opportunity that came my way (including painting the office my first week!). Saying “yes” gave me exposure to other parts of the business (e.g. operations, compliance, tech, and marketing), and I still work with many of the relationships I cultivated during those two years. 
    2. Jump into all law school has to offer. Sign up for journals, look for service opportunities and cultivate relationships with your professors. You never know what networking event might open up a new door for you!
    3. When looking for opportunities during a work experience, identify what problem you can solve for the company/individual and serve them well. The more effort you put out with no expectation of return, the more doors will open for you.