Briaunna Buckner Durhal currently serves as an associate at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP. Prior to that, she served as a judicial law clerk for the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and the Honorable Bernice B. Donald of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Briaunna received a B.S. in Criminal Justice and an M.P.A. in Public Administration from Jacksonville State University. She received her J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School in 2021.  During law school, she worked as a summer associate for Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Lightfoot, Franklin, and White law firm. Briaunna was also hired for a prestigious clerkship in the Ranking Member’s office for the United States Senate Judiciary Committee.  

During law school, Briaunna received numerous awards recognizing her civic contributions and academic achievements. Notably, she was named 1L of the Year, she received the Outstanding Student Achievement Award for receiving the highest grade in Civil Procedure I, and she was presented the Women’s Leadership Award. A zealous advocate, Briaunna achieved great success for her oral and written advocacy.  In 2019, Briaunna won the Campbell DeLong Trial Advocacy Competition and earned a place on the school’s Moot Court Board.  During her 3L year, Briaunna made history by being the first female African American to be appointed to the University of Michigan’s Supreme Court and the first female African American to be named Young Alum of the Year at Jacksonville State University. 

Pro bono work is incredibly important to Briaunna. During law school, she sought several opportunities to provide pro bono legal services to residents and small businesses in the Detroit area. Through the University of Michigan’s legal clinics and externships, Briaunna helped write an appellate brief to the Sixth Circuit defending an indigent person accused of a crime.  She also co-wrote an amicus brief to the Michigan Supreme Court urging the Court to clarify an ambiguous provision in Michigan’s Consumer Protection law. 

In her free time, Briaunna loves to spend time with her daughter and fiance, Zola and Fred. She also is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.