Attorney Stephanie Hammonds has been sparring with the proverbial big dogs in and out of the courtroom for the past 16 years. She has a talent for litigation and a mind like a steel-trap. Hammonds takes her position as an advocate as more than just a job, for her, it’s a calling.
“Anyone who’s creative, I protect and enhance and improve their rights,” she says emphatically. “[I’m a] lawyer, counselor, friend, advisor, comforter [and] confidant, everything rolled into one.”
After serving as legal counsel in high profile cases against artists such as Mariah Carey for copyright infringement on the song “Make It Happen,” and OutKast for using the name of Rosa Parks in the title of a song without her consent, Hammonds has made a name for herself as an astute attorney.
“The whole basis for the lawsuit was never about money,” she explains regarding Parks’ case. “It was just to ask that [OutKast] respectfully take her name off the song title. Mrs. Parks was very humble and had a lot of strength and dignity, and [was] very principled.”
Undaunted by the challenge of being a woman in a male-dominated field, Hammonds refuses to be taken lightly.
“I am fierce, determined, and protective of my clients and very aggressive in terms of protecting them and making sure that I can really pursue their dreams,” she says. “… I take it seriously that people are entrusting me with their dreams.”
