Britny Auletti ('17) graduated from Fordham University in 2014 with a B.S. in Finance. She was confident that she wanted to continue to learn more about corporate law and securities regulation by attending law school. Prior to law school, Britny had interned and worked in the legal field, and also during undergraduate school Britny had worked as a legal assistant for a firm in the City.
While Britny was at Pace she was very active and participated in several clubs, a trial team, the Pace Investor Rights Clinic, and the Corporate Externship program. “I was the treasurer for the Italian American Law Organization, and the Pace Law Tax Society Vice President. My experiences both inside and outside of the classroom gave me to opportunity to seek guidance from others in the Pace community and network with attorneys in different fields.” Throughout law school, Britny was an intern with various corporations. She was a summer associate with AIG for two summers and a legal intern with Marsh & McLennan Companies. “Through my internship experiences I was able to meet mentors, and enhance my writing and research skills. My internships help me realize my passion for corporate and securities legal work.”
Britny’s classroom experiences at Pace are what she calls “stepping stones” to her career in the financial regulatory industry. In particular, three professors stick out in Britny’s mind: Professors Jill Gross, Jane Shahmanesh, and Elissa Germaine. “Each of them taught me a great deal about the securities industry. Their classes gave me a solid foundation for my current job at FINRA (the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority). Each professor brought their unique real life experiences into the classroom, which inspired me to pursue a career in the field.”
However, if you ask Britny the best decision she made during her time as a student at Pace Law, her answer is simple: participating in the Investor Rights Clinic. “The Clinic had an immense impact on not only my law school experience, but my career path as well. It afforded me the opportunity to learn that some of the most important lawyering skills are taught outside of the classroom. I learned how to be a passionate advocate for my clients who did not always have a voice or know where to turn when they felt they had been wronged by their broker. The Clinic provided me with a unique environment where we were forced to think on our feet and outside of the box. Professor Germaine helped me become a stronger writer by taking the time to review multiple drafts and teaching us the importance of paying attention to detail. Most importantly, while, yes, the clinic helped me solidify my desire to work in the securities regulation industry, it also helped me figure out my passion for helping those who do not always have a voice.”
During her winter break of 3L, Britny received the news she was hoping to hear. “I received an offer from FINRA to work for them as an associate examiner. I was thrilled to receive the offer and I was equally thrilled to share the news of the offer with Professors Gross, Shahmanesh, and Germaine. Each had been such an integral part of my experience at Pace and knew how much I wanted to work at FINRA.”
As an Associate Examiner at FINRA, Britny participates in examinations, sweeps, and task forces of FINRA registered broker-dealers. “Every day at FINRA we work to deter broker misconduct through in-person examinations of brokerage firms to make sure they are following the rules, detect and prevent fraud in the markets, and disciple those who break the rules. I love my job because I feel the work is very important and I get learn something new every day.”
Recently, Britny was awarded first place in the 2017 James E. Beckley Writing Competition sponsored by PIABA (Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association). The paper, supervised by Professor Elissa Germaine, is entitled “Bice, Bice Baby: Are Investors Getting the Cold Shoulder? An Overview of the Department of Labor’s Proposed Fiduciary Duty Rule and Its Potential Impacts.” The paper will be published in the next PIABA law journal and Britny was invited to attend the annual PIABA conference in Colorado.
Britny is a firm advocate of staying involved and also giving back to the larger law school community. “I recently helped judge the St. John’s FINRA Triathlon Competition - it is a negotiation, mediation, and arbitration competition. As a 3L at Pace, I participated in the same competition and helped FINRA with the event this year.” Additionally, Britny believes it is important to stay involved in the Pace community. “I was also lucky enough to be able to come back to Pace to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Investor Rights Clinic. For me, it was especially important to be a part of this celebration because the Clinic helped me discover my passion for investors’ rights.”
Britny reflected on an assignment from the Investor Rights Clinic that has stuck with her since. “We were asked to write a memo about our goals, obstacles we may face while trying to achieving these goals, and how we plan to ultimately overcome those obstacles. My main goal each semester was to learn how to best communicate with clients and develop more empathy towards their situations – skills that can only learned though simulations, practice, and several awkward first phone calls. This assignment provided me a final opportunity to take a step back from grades and outlines and ask myself two very difficult questions – Do I truly have the skills required to be a lawyer? And what kind of lawyer do I want to be? By the end of year I could answer both of these questions. To be a great lawyer you need to work hard, always keep learning and honing your skills, and never lose your passion for the law. I want to be the kind of lawyer that tirelessly advocates for those who do not have a voice and one who stands up for justice.”
Britny was excited to share that she just passed the New York bar examination and is looking forward to life in the professional world. “I think that students and young alumni should not be afraid to follow their passion and to network. I was able to find great mentors both inside and outside of the Pace community that still continue to give me guidance and support. Throughout my law school journey I learned that hard work and dedication make all the difference. I am very thankful for each member of the Pace community that helped me get to where I am today.”