[2] After graduating from law school, Barnett became the first woman hired by Holland & Knight, where she served for the next 40 years.

Barnett was selected as the president of the American Bar Association in 2000, and served alongside then-first lady Hillary Clinton on the inaugural ABA Commissionon Women in the Profession.

[3][4] During Barnett's tenure as president of the ABA, the White House formally ended the practice of allowing the American Bar Association to pre-screen judicial nominees before they were officially announced.

[5] The ABA continues to maintain a rating system of federal judges and nominees.

[6][7] Barnett was nominated to serve on the Florida Constitution Revision Commission by Governor Lawton Chiles and the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission by Governor Bob Martinez.