For Birmingham attorney and author Erin Brown Hollis, life has been a winding path of professional achievement, family devotion, and a calling to encourage others. A member of Bradley’s Litigation Practice Group, she has built a career handling complex litigation while balancing the roles of wife, mother, author, and mentor.
Her early career included a fellowship with Federal Magistrate Judge Karen Hayes on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana. There she drafted rulings, judgments, and orders while conducting in-depth legal research—a formative experience that prepared her for the demands of high-level litigation.
But for Hollis, her career is only one piece of a much bigger picture.
Finding her “why”
When asked what accomplishment she is most proud of, Hollis doesn’t hesitate. “My two girls are God’s greatest blessings in my life. Bellalise and Annalise are my ‘why’ in everything I do,” she said. “Becoming a Mom was my childhood dream and the moment Bellalise took her first breath was the moment my truest purpose on this earth began. My greatest desire is to point my girls to Jesus and anything that I achieve or earn in this life is only significant if it aids me in my ultimate goal of raising them to be the kindest little souls they can be.”
That deep sense of family purpose has guided her choices, including the bold pivot from a large-firm securities litigation practice into part-time work so she could devote more energy to motherhood. “Suddenly, the big fancy building and all the shiny perks pivoted to snuggle sessions and slobbery kisses,” she recalled.
From law to literature
During that transitional time, Hollis rediscovered her passion for writing. What began as journaling through the “survival phase” of motherhood grew into a published book, Cheers to the Diaper Years: 10 Truths for Thriving While Barely Surviving.
“The book is a love letter to Moms in all walks of life and to my girls of all the lessons I learned (and am still learning) while loving on them,” she explained.
That first book opened the door to others, including The Remarkable Housewives of the Bible, which playfully combines wit, storytelling, and biblical lessons for women seeking encouragement.
Through her platform Rising and Shining, Hollis also created a space where women can connect through themed weekly posts: #MommaMondays, #TipTuesdays, #WildCardWednesdays, #ThoughtfulThursdays, and #FabFriYAYFive. The blog and newsletter offer everything from recipes and craft projects to faith-based devotionals and leadership encouragement.
Her motivation is simple: “Serving others drives my purpose. In every role I take I want to learn how I can make something better for all. A charge I often give myself is finding ways to leave rooms better than when I entered,” she said.
A career reimagined
In 2019, when both daughters were in school, Hollis felt the pull back to full-time legal work. She joined Bradley Arant as a staff attorney, later earning promotion to associate in the pharmaceutical litigation group. Along the way, she stayed involved in community service, serving as a WINN (Women’s Initiative Network at Bradley) Liaison, on the Summer Showoffs Angel Gala board, and as Briarwood Lower School Parent Teacher Fellowship president.
Her approach to leadership is defined by what she calls “grit, grace, and gumption.” “A great leader works harder than anyone in the room. She offers guidance, delivers the presentation and cleans the floors when she’s done. She is resourceful, driven and goal oriented. She is savvy and servant hearted. More than anything she is kind. She is giving. Her ultimate goal is not what she will earn or achieve in the end, but rather who she will impact along the way,” Hollis said.
Rooted in family legacy
Much of her resilience and outlook comes from the women who shaped her life. Hollis credits her grandmothers and her mother with modeling integrity, service, and strength.
“My maternal grandmother, Ruth Williams, taught me grit, passion and grace. After her husband’s death, she took over a trucking company in a man’s world and powerfully led until the day she handed the keys over to my very hard-working and deserving Dad,” she shared.
“My paternal grandmother, Jean Brown, taught me service, nurturing and leading with love always. She made every person that came into her presence feel like the most important person ever created. She loved like none other and taught me to do the same.”
And closest to home: “My Mom, Dee Williams Brown, gave me the wings and the ability to chase my dreams. She raised me to lead with integrity and confidence. Her voice is the calming guiding light in my life and remains my first call in any scenario.”
Now, Hollis hopes to pass those same lessons to her daughters. “My girls, Bellalise and Annalise, give me the purpose and the strength in everything I do. I want them to know that they can achieve anything they dream,” she said. “When I look at them, I look at our future. What we instill in the next generation is the greatest impact we will ever possess.”
Faith and service at the core
Faith is central to everything Hollis does, from her legal practice to her writing to her parenting. “Life, including in our great state of Alabama, can only improve if we all begin asking the question, ‘What can I do for others?’” she said.
Her commitment to service extends beyond personal fulfillment—it is a model for her daughters and for the women who read her books, newsletters, and posts. By encouraging others to embrace imperfection, find strength in community, and ground themselves in faith, Hollis has created a ripple effect of impact across her community and beyond.
A Woman of Impact
Through every role—attorney, author, wife, mother, community servant—Erin Brown Hollis embodies what it means to live with intentionality and faith. She is equally at home drafting complex legal briefs, leading a parent-teacher fellowship, or writing devotionals that touch women across Alabama.
Her story reflects a life built on resilience, creativity, and service. She has found ways to integrate her professional career with her personal calling, always with her daughters and her faith as her compass.
Erin Brown Hollis is a Yellowhammer Woman of Impact because she demonstrates that true influence comes not only from professional success, but from using every talent and opportunity to uplift others. By leading with grit, grace, and gumption, she reminds us that impact is measured not in accolades, but in lives touched along the way.
