Elizabeth Britt

Elizabeth Britt serves as Professor of English in the College of Social Sciences and Humanities at Northeastern University, specializing in legal rhetoric and rhetorical theory. Her academic appointment resides within the Department of English where she contributes to both undergraduate and graduate education through specialized courses in legal writing, rhetoric of law, and stylistic editing.

Her research centers on legal rhetoric, advocacy education, and discourse analysis in medical and legal contexts. Britt examines how language functions in legal institutions, jury deliberation, intimate partner abuse advocacy, and infertility narratives. Her work bridges rhetorical theory with practical applications in legal clinics and courtroom settings, emphasizing the material consequences of discursive practices. Key contributions include analyzing the rhetorical construction of 'normalcy' in medical contexts and the performative aspects of legal advocacy.

Britt's scholarly impact is demonstrated through her publications in leading venues including Rhetoric Society Quarterly and Law, Culture and the Humanities, with her monographs Reimagining Advocacy: Rhetorical Education in the Legal Clinic (2018) and Conceiving Normalcy: Rhetoric, Law, and the Double Binds of Infertility (2001) establishing significant frameworks for understanding legal and medical discourse. Her recent co-edited volume Rhetorical Traditions and Contemporary Law (2025) extends this work into classical rhetorical applications for modern legal challenges.

• Faculty Fellow, Northeastern University Humanities Center (2018-19)
• Excellence in Teaching Award, Northeastern University (2007)
• Predoctoral Grant, Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research (1995-96)

Britt actively mentors students through courses including Advanced Writing for Prelaw, Introduction to Rhetoric, and Rhetoric of Law, where she emphasizes critical analysis of legal texts, audience adaptation, and rhetorical strategies in U.S. legal culture. Her teaching approach integrates rhetorical theory with practical writing skills, preparing students for legal professions through workshops on briefs, memoranda, and judicial opinions. Britt maintains regular office hours for student consultation and participates in scholarly associations including the Rhetoric Society of America and National Communication Association.