LC Alumna Promoted to Sangamon County Assistant States Attorney

Sangamon County Assistant State's Attorney Brittney Lehr of Carrollton is a 2016 L&C graduate.Submitted photo

GODFREY - In just a few years, Brittney Lehr of Carrollton took the degree she earned from Lewis and Clark Community College and used it as a first step on the way to earning a Juris Doctorate from SIU Carbondale and an assistant state's attorney position with Sangamon County.

After graduating as valedictorian of Carrollton High School's Class of 2015, Lehr enrolled at L&C where she earned an associate in applied science in 2016.

According to Lehr, there were several reasons she chose L&C.

"L&C is affordable and there are some great scholarships available," she said. "I found some excellent networking opportunities with law enforcement agencies, professors and institutions."

Lehr credits Professor and Criminal Justice Program Coordinator Jessica Noble as a mentor who helped her navigate L&C as well as all the transfer programs at other institutions.

"She cares about each of her students," Lehr said. "She paid attention to the standard first-day-of-school answers to 'Where do you want to work?' and fashioned her classes, discussions and curriculum around those answers."

Noble says it's the success of students like Lehr that inspires her to keep going.

"As a Criminal Justice educator, I get the opportunity to help students like Brittney become successful and ethical criminal justice professionals," she said. "I get to help them see their potential and steer them in the direction of their future goals. I know that by doing this, I can ultimately help them and the system be its best."

While at L&C, Lehr not only earned membership in the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (2016) but was a recipient of the Monticello Women's Scholarship (2016).

After L&C, she transferred to MacMurray College where she attained a Bachelor of Criminal Justice and Homeland Security in 2018. From there, she attended SIU Carbondale School of Law, where she earned her Juris Doctorate in 2022.

Lehr's decision to pursue a law degree was quite personal.

"My cousin was killed when I was ten and I did not like how his case and its investigation were handled," she said.

After acquiring her law degree, she went to work for Sangamon County's Traffic and Misdemeanor Division in 2022, where she worked with cases ranging from speeding tickets to batteries. In April 2023, she was promoted to the role of DUI attorney.

She was recently promoted to the position of felony assistant state's attorney and DUI attorney.

"I now handle a slew of felonies from aggravated DUIs and retail thefts to aggravated domestic batteries and possession cases," she said.

Although Lehr has only worked with Sangamon County for a couple of years, she has already had some standout experiences.

"I co-chaired two first-degree murder trials in the summer of 2023," she said. "One resulted in a mandatory life sentence. The other resulted in a conviction of Aggravated Battery."

Lehr is grateful for the encouragement she received from L&C professors to attend law school.

"The curriculum, guest lectures and connections from L&C set me on the path to obtaining my law license," she said.

She recommends students use their instructors and the connections they provide to their benefit.

"Your instructors know or have taught someone who does the job you are pursuing," she said. "Establishing connections early can lead to internships which can lead to jobs or job references."

For more information about L&C's Criminal Justice program, contact Noble at (618) 468-4524 or [email protected].

Enrollment for Winter Intersession and Spring 2025 is underway now! Contact the Enrollment Center at (618) 468-2222 or [email protected].

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