Britney Theron

What does your company do?

BT Attorneys is a female-founded law firm that specializes in employment and labour law. The firm was founded by Britney Theron who found herself losing her innate passion to serve as a result of the typical corporate pressures in the legal field. Britney held the position of Senior Associate at a prominent employment law firm before breaking away to found BT Attorneys. As specialists in employment law, BT Attorneys offers services to employees and employers, whether general employment law advice is required or representation at the CCMA, Labour Courts, and other dispute tribunals.

What is your biggest success?

Having only launched two months ago, BT Attorneys has successfully represented a number of female clients who were struggling with employment law disputes differing in nature. The biggest success was the settlement of a dispute involving a seasoned female Attorney employed by a prominent law practice with various branches. This Attorney, who specializes in a different area of law, was six months pregnant. She had been told that she would not be granted four months maternity leave. She was the victim of various forms of discrimination with a name partner telling her that "women do not belong in the legal profession", referencing her need to take time off to focus on her newborn. The final pillar of her complaint was the request to have a different Director cease smoking in the office located next to hers. When this was addressed, the response she received was that this was a "sensitive" subject. The result included her being granted four months of maternity leave and the Director smoking committing to the board that he would no longer smoke in the office. The biggest success was maintaining the working relationship for this individual notwithstanding the result.

What has been your biggest hurdle?

As a new business, particularly female founded in a male-dominated industry, exposure has been the biggest hurdle. The secondary hurdle has been striking the balance between the desire to serve against the need to ensure expenses are covered. Good employment law services are infrequently available to those most vulnerable in our country and arguably those who require it the most. In the words of Tom Brokaw: “It’s easy to make a buck. It’s a lot tougher to make a difference". BT Attorneys is not another law firm looking to profiter off others, but is genuinely committed to making a difference in the employment law space.