Canton native changing narrative in community

By Inesha Jackson

Sammy Brown Jr., an attorney for Butler Snow LLP, is changing the narrative for black men in the Canton community through leadership and success.

Brown, a native of Canton, is the son of Shirley and Sammy Brown, Sr. He is also a proud husband to Andreau Brown, and together they have two children, Anna and Trey. 

“My number one motivation would be my family. My wife, Andreau, and I have been together since our senior year in high school, and we do pretty much everything together. We are still very young, and we have so much that we want to accomplish together. We talk about our immediate and long term goals often, and those conversations are always motivating for me. I am also very motivated by people who have already been where I am trying to go. I have several mentors that all play a part in keeping me on the right track. I try to always remain in ‘student mode’ and just continue to learn from others,” Brown said. 

After graduating from Canton High School, Brown went on to study political science at the University of Mississippi and also to study law at the University of Mississippi School of Law. While in law school, Brown served as the president of the Student Bar Association, executive editor of the “Space Law Journal,” and an active member of the Trial Advocacy Board and Dean’s Leadership Council. Upon graduation in 2019, Brown accepted an associate attorney position with Starnes Davis Florie in Birmingham, Alabama. Recently, in 2021, he accepted an associate attorney position with Butler Snow, LLP, where he practices in the commercial litigation group. 

Brown gives credit to his grandmother and sister for both being instrumental in his desire to pursue law. 

“Growing up, my grandmother was an avid reader. One of her favorite authors was John Grisham. As I began to develop a love for reading, I also developed a love for John Grisham novels and other books where lawyers were always the main characters. I actually keep my grandmother’s John Grisham novels in my office to this day. My sister is also a lawyer, so I have always had an example of what was possible right in front of me,” Brown said. 

Before entering his career, Brown’s experience at the University of Mississippi for both his undergraduate years and for law school have played an important role in his success as an attorney. 

“My college experience was very positive. My worldview was widened more than I could have imagined. I forged life-long friendships, and I felt that I was prepared to handle the rigors of law school. I had so many influential professors that saw my potential and invested in me. I think a big part of my success was attending the University of Mississippi. So, it was a very positive time for me, and I enjoyed my four years of undergrad, as well as my time at the law school,” Brown said. 

“I surrounded myself with people who had more drive than I did. I think it’s very important to surround yourself with people who are motivated in accomplishing their own goals and seeing them do well. I also had so many professors who helped push me to see that I could accomplish whatever I wanted. My wife was also a big driver for me, as well. She has had unshakable faith in me since the beginning of our relationship. She believed in me more than I believed in myself at times. So, her faith in me has always been key,” Brown said. 

After passing the Alabama Bar Exam in 2019 and the Mississippi Bar Exam in 2020, Brown has been practicing law for almost three years. Though still being at the beginning of his journey with practicing law, he hopes to have a long and fulfilling career. 

“I am currently an associate attorney at Butler Snow, LLP, which is a fantastic firm that affords me a lot of opportunities. The firm has a national and international footprint, so I get to practice law with brilliant attorneys from all over. I look forward to my continued growth there,” Brown said. 

Throughout Brown’s success in his career, he always strives to represent Canton well. 

“There is this negative perception of Canton, particularly its youth. You never hear about the wealth of talent that this city has produced. There have been some amazing folk to come from this city, people who have gone on to do amazing things. So, I have always felt that my accomplishments are also the city’s accomplishments. It’s important to me that people know my wife and I both are products of Canton, and we try to help represent the good that comes from Canton that often doesn’t get acknowledged,” Brown said. “I wanted to get involved in the city through volunteering, and I found that opportunity through In His Steps Ministries. They continue to do some amazing work there for many kids in the city. . . Jasper Bacon and I both share a passion for helping others and seeing the kids of Canton/North Madison County do well. We connected during my senior year in high school, and I am hopeful that Jasper and I will collaborate on projects in the future that will benefit people in Canton,” Brown said. 

Sammy Brown’s advice for young people is to develop a relationship with God. 

“Nothing in my life would have worked out the way it has without the prayers of my parents, grandparents and others. So, my faith really is the cornerstone of everything for me. But, also, faith without work is dead, so it is important to set your sights on a goal and to be relentless in achieving it. I always tell my daughter that there really is no substitute for hard work and that it’s important to do your best at everything you do, including tasks that may seem small or meaningless. Lastly, I would say that there really isn’t a dream that’s too big. Someone once said that if your dreams don’t scare you, then you aren’t dreaming big enough. Faith plus hard work equals anything you can imagine,” Brown said.