Lucy Holifield | Little Rock, AR
lucy holifield
Wade Kilpela Slade
After double-majoring magna cum laude in Biology and Psychology at Hendrix College in 2008, Lucy took a break from school. She managed endangered and invasive plant species for the Bureau of Land Management in Utah. She worked as a surgical technician in a veterinary clinic. And, of course, she waited tables and tended bars at her share of restaurants. She was presented with a crossroads in 2013 that would ultimately define her professional trajectory: a PhD in behavioral science or law school. Contrary to popular belief, she believed her scientific background would be an asset in law. 12 Top Papers later, Lucy obtained her JD from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law. She was ranked 1st in Bowen's Class of 2016.
Lucy served the next two years as a Judicial Clerk for the Honorable Chief Judge Brian S. Miller in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas where she managed Judge Miller's criminal and civil dockets and trials; learned the nuances inherent to litigation; and gained critical insight as to what judges and juries really consider when issuing decisions.
Lucy moved to Chicago in 2018 to join Mayer Brown LLP, where she practiced as an Associate in its Litigation & Dispute Resolution group for over five years. Her practice included class, multi-district, and other complex litigation involving employment, products, antitrust, and consumer protection. Her matters, which were national, if not international, involved preliminary negotiations, mediations, and arbitrations as well as judicial review at both the trial and appellate levels. Lucy also had the privilege of representing numerous pro bono clients in pursuit of their civil or other individual rights, including incarcerated individuals and survivors of sex trafficking and assault. The victories in those cases were especially rewarding.
Lucy is excited to take her legal expertise in a new direction by joining the WKS mission to make the world a more just and equitable place.