Mercer University School of Law student Briana John, ’26, from Sandy Springs, said she’s long been inspired by the work that lawyers do. She always wanted to be a lawyer and to advocate for individuals who need representation.
This summer, she is working with The Home Depot’s in-house counsel as a summer associate, a position she secured through the Association of Corporate Counsel’s Georgia Diversity Internship Program. She is interested in seeing how legal work is handled within a large corporation and to learn more about the role of in-house counsel.
John said since entering college as an international studies major at Emory University, her main goal has been to learn as much as she could about the legal field. During her undergraduate years, she held internships with national and international agencies, which allowed her to explore different forms of advocacy and deepen her understanding of critical social and political issues.
“These experiences not only strengthened my interest in pursuing a legal education but also showed me the essential role lawyers play — both in direct advocacy for individuals and in shaping how organizations function and fulfill their missions,” she said.
Working remotely as an intern with Africa Unite, John examined and identified various human rights issues that affect vulnerable communities in South Africa; commissioned media campaigns for webinar discussions that brought awareness to the importance of conflict mediation, peace, socioeconomic development and social cohesion; and drafted grant proposals to fund educational resources for vulnerable children in Singamakhalipha, a youth program that provides holistic psychosocial support services in an after-school care environment.
In fall 2021, John served as a major gifts intern with Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières Canada. During summer 2022, she interned with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, working in the human trafficking investigation division at the department’s Atlanta office. Last summer, she worked with an administrative judge at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
By the end of her undergraduate studies, John knew that a legal education would provide her tools to better understand the issues she cares about and develop the skills to be an effective advocate.
One of John’s first experiences in a legal setting was when she worked as a legal assistant at Marci R. Rosenberg PC in Dunwoody during a gap year before entering Mercer Law School. She said it provided valuable insight into client advocacy and the day-to-day operations of a small law firm.
In her second year of law school, John held an externship from September 2024 to April 2025 at Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation, where she worked as a legal intern with their Safe and Stable Homes Project.
While she hasn’t yet decided on a specific area of law to pursue, she is drawn to work that will challenge her to keep learning, improve her skills as an advocate, and make a meaningful impact through her work.
“I pursued this opportunity at The Home Depot because I wanted to explore whether this type of legal work is something I could see myself doing long term,” she said. “It will also provide a valuable contrast to my previous experience in the public sector, allowing me to compare different work environments, legal issues and approaches to advocacy. I believe this experience will broaden my perspective and help shape my goals as I continue my legal studies and begin thinking more intentionally about my future career path.”
John is an active member of both the Association of Women Law Students and the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association. She said belonging to the latter has been a particularly meaningful part of her journey law school journey. She has served as the organization’s member-at-large and as a 2L Representative, roles that allowed her to contribute to mentorship and community-building efforts.
The Asian Pacific American Law Student Association “has provided me with a strong sense of support and belonging, helping me navigate the challenges of law school while also staying connected to my cultural identity,” she said. “Beyond personal support, I’ve been proud to be part of APALSA’s broader mission: fostering cultural awareness and promoting diversity within the legal profession. Our organization has worked to create spaces for dialogue, celebration and advocacy that reach beyond our membership and into the greater Mercer Law community.”
In her spare time, John likes to do yoga and spend time with family and friends.
