Erin Barrett

University of California-Berkeley, Haas School of Business

“Corporate lawyer turned Naval litigator now looking to embrace the business side.”

Hometown: South Windsor, CT

Fun Fact About Yourself: My family and I were on an episode of a HGTV show, which will remain unnamed.

Undergraduate School and Major: College of the Holy Cross: BA, History; William & Mary Law School: J.D.

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: U.S. Navy: Judge Advocate

Berkeley Haas is founded on four Defining Leadership Principles: Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always, and Beyond Yourself. Which principle resonates most with you and why? I’d have to say Students Always because I love the idea of a life filled with continuous learning. Throughout my legal career, I’ve always tried to choose pathways that challenge me and force me out of my comfort zone and onto the learning curve. For me, being unafraid to try new things—and to often struggle doing so—is the best way to expand my boundaries and to figure out what motivates and excites me.

What excites you about earning your MBA in the Bay Area? My first tour as a judge advocate general was in Bremerton, Washington, and I absolutely fell in love with the West Coast. Although the East Coast will always be home, there is no comparison with the outdoor activities the West Coast offers, so I knew I wanted to move back for business school. I cannot wait to be back on the (B)est Coast and to get outside hiking, paddleboarding, trail running, and everything in-between.

What was the key part of Berkeley Haas’ MBA curriculum or programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Definitely the Haas culture—especially the Defining Leadership Principles and how passionately Haasies put them into action. After visiting Haas and talking to a lot of current and past students, it was clear to me that the Defining Leadership Principles were more than just empty school branding and instead reflected an ideology that truly permeated the school. Each of the Defining Leadership Principles resonated with me in a different way and reflected the way I view myself as a learner, professional, and future MBA student.

What course, club, or activity excites you the most at Berkeley Haas? I am super excited to join the Haas Golf Club. Learning to play golf this past year was one of my favorite souvenirs from my time spent living in Washington, D.C.  I think golf is such a great way to get outside, meet new people, and challenge myself. Golf also forces me to not take myself too seriously—it’s OK to hit a terrible shot or play an awful round, it’s part of learning something new, so just have fun and enjoy it.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I’m not sure I have one! I’m pretty proud of how many different areas of the law I’ve had a chance to practice in, so I think that is an accomplishment in and of itself. Not many lawyers get the chance to practice both corporate law and litigate in the courtroom, so I’ve been lucky to get to do both. I’ve genuinely enjoyed all of the legal jobs I’ve had thus far in the sense that each one has challenged me in a unique way, which I think is such a gift as it has made me a much better and well-rounded lawyer.

At this point, what do you hope to do after graduation? I’d like to work in a business role centering on corporate risk management. As a former in-house counsel, I have experience helping companies limit risk in their transactional deals and public reporting, but I want to explore what risk management means more on the business side, whether that be through sustainability, human resources, or some other field I haven’t yet considered.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Berkeley Haas’ MBA program? Be confident in your own accomplishments. I had a LOT of impostor syndrome going through the admissions process. As someone without a traditional business school background or really any quantitative experience, I constantly felt underqualified in comparison to other applicants I met throughout the process. Honestly, there are times I still feel like that because at a school like Haas everyone is amazing in their own way, but I had to trust that what made me feel “underqualified”—my unique background—was actually my greatest strength and that the right school would also see value in it.

DON’T MISS: MEET THE UC BERKELEY HAAS MBA CLASS OF 2027

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