Inspiring Conversations with Brandon Pettijohn of Brandon C. Pettijohn, Attorney at Law, PLLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandon Pettijohn.

Hi Brandon, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I am a litigation attorney in Southeast North Carolina who practices law in the areas of Civil Litigation, Family Law, and Personal Injury. I am also a veteran of the United States Marine Corps where I was an enlisted Marine, having enlisted in the United States Marine Corps after high school. I served as an Amphibious Assault Vehicle crewman and was a vehicle commander in Afghanistan. I also wrestled for the All-Marine Wrestling Team as my final duty station before being discharged where I competed internationally full-time and wrestled at the Last Chance Olympic Trials Qualifier in 2012, falling short of my goal of reaching a national or olympic wrestling team.

After I was honorably discharged in 2012, I began my academic career at a local community college and later transferred to the University of Indianapolis where I received my Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice in under 3 years. I then completed a semester of a masters degree program in International Relations before I enrolled at the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in Indianapolis, Indiana.

I attended the night program at IU McKinney law while working as a defense contractor, probation officer, veterans court case manager, and lastly as the Veterans Court Coordinator for the Indiana Supreme Court, having responsibility for assisting judges and courts around the State of Indiana with starting veterans treatment courts around the state. I also audited various drug treatment courts in Indiana as part of a compliance initiative for state-level funding.

I moved to Wilmington, North Carolina upon graduating from law school and passing the bar exam. I began my practice with a local firm and started my own solo law firm two years into the practice of law. I have been practicing as a solo practitioner since May 2021 and plan on expanding my firm in the very near future. I have litigated cases in the district and superior courts of North Carolina around the state and have litigated several cases before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. I am also currently heavily involved in the Camp Lejeune water contamination litigation as both lead counsel and local counsel on dozens of cases.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Learning both the practice of law and the business of law was a huge learning curve for me. There is no clear cut path to running a law practice and a lot of it is done utilizing “trial and error.” One of the biggest obstacles in the beginning was learning where to cut costs by performing some lower-tier work myself or by sourcing that out by hiring additional staff. This is a pitfall a lot of new business owners run into when you are stuck in the “famine” mentality, always concerned that the bottom might fall out. Ultimately, once you take the leap of faith to go out into business for yourself you need to trust you instincts and go all in, which is what I ended up doing.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We are currently a solo practitioner firm focusing on civil litigation, family law, and personal injury cases. While I primarily practice law in Southeastern North Carolina, I am also licensed in Indiana and Tennessee, and refer personal injury cases nationwide if they are not in one of those jurisdictions. If you are looking for justice, we can help; no matter the climb or place.

What matters most to you?
Justice.

Justice matters to me the most because we unfortunately live in a society where individuals can become an unknowing or unwitting victim of actual or monetary harm at little-to-no fault of their own. People call me on their worst day and I always strive to be the beacon of light that provides them hope.

Contact Info:

• Website: portcityattorney.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/portcityattorney
• Facebook: facebook.com/portcityattorney
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClPxQ-sB5B7cbvRiBx3G5Tg
• Other: tiktok.com/portcityattorney