Born in Tuscumbia, Alabama, and raised in Huntsville, Brickell's early education began in his father's print shop.
[1] He studied law under Judge Daniel Coleman to gain admission to the Alabama State Bar at 19 and initiated his law practice in Athens, later moving to Huntsville in 1851.
[1][2] Brickell played a significant role in codifying Alabama laws, collaborating with P.J.
[1] His judicial tenure as chief justice was intermittently punctuated by health issues.
[1] He contributed to the Code of Alabama (1886) and authored editions of "Digest of the Decisions of the Supreme Court of Alabama", commonly known as Brickell's Digest.