Lucretia Pitts Barrett
In Transition, former General Counsel of Operations
Law School & Year: University of Miami School of Law, JD 2000
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lpittsbarrett
What impact has being a member of the South Florida Women In-House Counsel Group had for you?
SFWICHG has given me the chance to collaborate and connect with local in-house women, which has positively impacted my career. The organization is designed to foster personal connections and mutual support among its members. The events are well-planned, offering valuable opportunities for learning, networking, and building strong relationships. I truly believe this group will continue to grow and strengthen its presence in the Florida legal community.
What area(s) of law do you specialize in, and what drew you to this particular field?
I practice in insurance, litigation, legal operations and technology, and artificial intelligence. My career choice reflects a deliberate blend of law, strategic legal thinking, and innovation. With 21 years’ experience in insurance defense and litigation, I bring a broad background in fidelity, financial institution crime policies, surety, homeowners insurance, personal and commercial liability, errors and omissions, and directors and officers coverage. My commitment to legal operations and technology began with contributions to the early Florida EPortal Filing System and continued with enhancements to filing systems and workflow automation throughout my roles. In recent years, I have enjoyed advancing workflow automation through artificial intelligence and expanding my practice to include emerging AI laws and the development of internal governance policies.
What are some daily habits you’ve incorporated to stay focused, grounded, motivated and manage stress?
My daily habit to stay focused, grounded, motivated, and manage stress is my morning prayer where I thank God for the life that he has given me and pray that each day others can see His light in me. These prayers keep me focused on the real importance in life - family and community.
My second habit is an early morning review of my calendar and my To Dos for today and tomorrow. This knowledge provides me a smooth directive for each day. I closely follow my schedule, rescheduling tasks when critically necessary only.
What is your top 3 personal achievements that you are proud of?
1. Continuing my family's baking tradition, I learned to make my maternal grandmother's German chocolate cake to perfection, earning special praise from my uncle.
2. I went to law school to become an appellate attorney to argue the law for multiple judges at once. I had the privilege of arguing a case of first impression twice before the District Court and once before the Florida Supreme Court, resulting in a new interpretation of the resisting arrest with violence statute that protected undercover police officers.
Growing up on Chicago’s southside, I’m proud to have experienced different countries, cultures, and people during my travels. I’ve been blessed to study in the U.S., Japan, and Wales and visit England, France, the Netherlands, Central America, Canada, and many states in the U.S., including Alaska.