About Carolyn Barnett
Carolyn Barnett Brady built her legal foundation in the classroom and at the desk. She earned a B.A. in English from Davidson College in 1981 and went on to receive a J.D. from Wake Forest University School of Law in 1985. Early legal work as a paralegal gave her an inside look at firm practice before she took the bar and moved into litigation roles.
Her professional path moved quickly after law school. She began her post-graduate career as an associate at Alston & Bird in 1985. A few years later she joined the District Attorney’s Office for District 3B as an assistant district lawyer in 1988. That line on her résumé marked a turn toward trial work and courtroom procedure. In 1995 she became a partner at Kirkman Whitford Brady Berryman & Farias, P.A., where she expanded her practice responsibilities and took on management duties within the firm structure.
Ms. Brady holds licenses to practice in both North Carolina and Georgia. She has been an active member of the North Carolina Bar Association since 1988 and also belongs to the Carteret County Bar Association. Those memberships have kept her connected to county-level practice and the broader state bar community, which can be important for lawyers who split time between firm work and local courtrooms.
Her career shows a mix of private firm and public-sector experience. The paralegal role she held before law school offered early exposure to big firm operations. Her stint at a large firm after graduation introduced her to complex commercial practice. Time in the District Attorney’s Office provided day-to-day trial experience and a deepened familiarity with criminal procedure. Later, as a partner, she balanced casework with firm governance and mentoring younger attorneys.
Throughout her career she has practiced across two jurisdictions, keeping a base in North Carolina while maintaining the ability to appear in Georgia courts. Her professional record is defined by steady advancement through workplace ranks and sustained involvement in bar organizations. She now concentrates on work handled through her firm across North Carolina and Georgia.
