Balancing The Scales!

Hello, Golden Divas & Divos!

Once a year, I try to interview a golden diva or divo who is not in their 50s to highlight the great work they are doing in their community. This month, the golden diva brought the law to Club Fifty. As we know, the law is inevitable in this world. Our government’s rules are the only way to deal with crime, social relationships, business agreements, etc. You can also use the law to refer to the people who work in this system. The law is no joke, especially for people of color seeking justice. Sometimes, it might seem like a different set of rules are in place; however, that’s a separate post! You’ve probably seen the Greek goddess statue representing the law, known as ‘Lady Justice.’ She symbolizes the moral force in the judicial system. Her characteristics are clear-sighted, and she works overtime to ensure justice. The blindfold is a powerful symbol representing objectivity and impartiality. She supposedly is unbiased (hence the blindfold) because justice should not be based on the color of one’s skin, appearance, or other outside influences. This ‘Golden Diva’ holds a scale in one hand and a sword in another, representing the balance between weighing evidence and punishing wrongdoing. The snake beneath her feet symbolizes evil and corruption, indicating justice prevails over these opposing forces.

Now, with all that being said about the attributes of Lady Justice and what she stands for in the world of law, let me bring forth a special lady in my life who is holding down the law as an Attorney and making some great moves within our community! My next guest at Club Fifty is dear to my heart and a powerhouse within her rights! I met this “Young Golden Diva” in the theater world and considered her one of my beautiful theater daughters. This beauty came right up to me, and my husband introduced herself with her contagious smile and bubbly personality, and the rest became history in our beautiful relationship. She is a confident young lady who knows exactly what she wants in life and has wanted to be a lawyer from the very start. As our relationship developed, I admired her tenacity and how she maneuvered in life. One of our rituals when we are at the theater together is to take a picture together. Who wouldn’t want to take a picture with this cutie pie? She’s so infectious! To be young, gifted, beautiful, and black in this world is priceless! So, without further ado, I would like to introduce you to one of my favorites: Associate Attorney Brittany Chhutani. She works in ‘Estate Planning’ and will explain that in our interview.

Welcome to Club Fifty Brittany!

MEET BRITTANY CHHUTANI

My name is Brittany Chhutani. I am 37 years old, and I am black and Indian. I am an Associate Attorney with The LOOMARTEE Law Group, LLC, and the Senior Director of Legal Education for Kaplan Bar Review. I am also on the board for the Minority Legal Education Resource (MLER) and the current Program Coordinator for the Bar Process Management program that the organization produces twice yearly to help minority students pass the bar exam.
Additionally, I am on the Jeff Committee, which allows me to see between 150 and 200 plays per year.
I am not married, nor do I have any children. I love reading! I will read/listen to just about any genre. I am a big fan of Chicago sports so I will attend any sporting event, but the Bears are my favorite team. I also love to bake – one of my dreams before I decided on law was to open my bakery! Cakes are my specialty. I am Christian, but I do not currently have a church home. I am the youngest of three children, and my parents have been married for 51 years. My sister is a physician in Dallas, TX, and my brother is a retired Electrical Engineer who now owns and operates two Litehouse Wholefood Grill locations in Indiana.

IN CONVERSATION WITH BRITTANY CHHUTANI

C50: Brittany, with all the professions in the world, why did you decide to become a lawyer?

B.C. I have wanted to be a lawyer since I was eight (8) years old! I watched the OJ Simpson trial on TV and wanted to be a lawyer like Johnnie Cochran. Although I had many other dreams before that, this one stuck and became my singular focus.

C50: You are young, beautiful, gifted, and Black; you studied at one of the most prestigious HBCU schools, Howard University School of Law. How did it feel when you passed the Bar and obtained your license to join forces with one of the world’s eldest and most learned professions?

B.C. I am so blessed that my journey took me to Howard University School of Law. According to the ABA, in 2020, only 5% of all lawyers in the US were black. Roughly 2% of that are black women. I am now a part of that 2%. It is mind-blowing! But I am grateful for my experience because my classmates, now my colleagues, all looked like me. I had the amazing opportunity to be taught by attorneys who knew what I would encounter in the world of practice because they lived it. I also got to study with people who looked like me and grew into an attorney with these individuals. When we win, we cheer for each other and have an awesome network of professionals growing yearly.

Make it stand out

**C50: From the first time I met you at the theater, you had this aura of confidence, which is befitting of your occupation. Tell us about your expertise and your role as an associate attorney.**
**B.C.** I get that confidence from my lineage. My grandmother was one of the first, if not the first, black woman to own a travel agency in Chicago – she helped me see the world. My mother is a powerhouse, and my father is an Indian man who became a US citizen and has built an amazing life with my mom over the last five decades.
Knowing who they are and how much they love and support me, I can do anything! The field I chose as an attorney is estate planning. I learned about this in law school and knew I had to bring it back to my community because more people should discuss preserving our assets in a way that creates generational wealth. We deserve to leave something for our children and grandchildren to start their lives with because we have worked for it. But most of us don’t know how to protect what we have earned. That is where I come in! I have confidence in my work because it brings me so much joy.

C50: Brittany, what services does the law firm you work for, Law Office of Mario A. Reed, P.C., provide?

B.C. The firm I work for, The LOOMARTEE Law Group, LLC (The Law Offices of Mario A. Reed, The Education Esquire), is an estate planning firm. We help people with real estate – both buying and selling residential homes; estate planning – the creation of a trust agreement, last will, durable power of attorney, beneficiary affidavit (for the car), and deeds for the home so that family members will be protected, and numerous other documents that our clients may need; LLC creation – we help clients create their LLC with the Secretary of State as well as provide them with the operating agreement, and we also assist with non-contested probate. This is when all family members are on the same page and would like to be declared the legal heir of the person in their family who has passed on (the decedent). We offer these services at flat rates because our mission is to be accessible to the community. We want everyone to have an estate plan!

C50: What is the difference between an associate attorney and a counsel?

B.C. The difference between an associate attorney and counsel is that an associate attorney typically works for a law firm (whether large, mid-sized, or small), while counsel typically works for a corporation or organization specifically for their legal needs. However, these terms are often interchangeable. Attorney, lawyer, esquire, counsel, and counselor are all terms that refer to someone who is trained in the law.

C50: Can you tell us about a particularly memorable performance you’ve had since you became a lawyer?

B.C. One of the most memorable moments for me was having the opportunity to represent one of my friends, who is also an attorney, in the purchase of her home. It’s an honor when fellow attorneys trust you to assist them. That was a moment that meant something to me.

C50: No one-stop shopping here! Brittany, what are the different types of lawyers? And why is it essential that we know the difference?

B.C. The document needs more space to delineate all types of lawyers, lol. There are corporate attorneys (and many different kinds within that umbrella), criminal attorneys – prosecutors and defenders, tax attorneys, transactional attorneys, landlord/tenant, litigators…the list is almost endless. It is very similar to the field of medicine. There is a doctor for nearly every organ in your body, the same with the nerves, blood, joints, bones, etc. The same goes for lawyers. We go to law school and learn quite a few subjects and sub-topics within the topics. Then, we practice, find what the people need, and craft our practice even more to fit their needs. Some things are tried and true, like statutory law – that has to go by the rules and ensure they are followed. But there are quite a few areas that lawyers can choose from. I hope this is helpful!

C50: Achieving a work-life balance can sometimes be difficult, as law practice is time-intensive. Please share with our C50 readers how you maintain a positive lifestyle outside of work.

B.C. I am a complex case when it comes to work-life balance. I am a single woman without children, so I have more flexibility with my schedule. I also have two jobs! My second one is as the Senior Director of Legal Education for Kaplan Bar Review. In that role, I sold bar review courses to 15 law schools in the Midwest and managed the director in the DC area.

On top of that, I am on the board of a non-profit organization called the Minority Legal Education Resource. I am also the Program Coordinator for the program that this organization puts on twice a year. Lastly, I am on the Jeff Committee and see between 150 and 200 plays per year. All of these are responsibilities, and I consider them “work” whether I receive a salary or not. I find joy and fulfillment in each of them, but that is the key. If you don’t find satisfaction in your work, it is time to find a new job. I can also incorporate my family and friends into some of the things I do. I bring them to the plays; I can assist my family and friends with their estate planning needs, etc. So that helps as well.

C50: Working in the legal system can be brutal at times. Tell us about some cases you worked on with clients that took you out of your comfort zone.

B.C. Hearing people’s stories of hardship and why they decided to exclude certain family members from their will or trust can be difficult. It is the most uncomfortable situation I have been in. Thankfully, mutual respect is common in my field. My firm will only work with the client if it is present. We have a zero-tolerance policy.

C50: Gender discrimination is still a reality in the legal profession. What is the one thing that you would want people to know about being a female lawyer in a world where men dominate?

B.C. This is near and dear to my heart. The first time I went to court, I wore a fuchsia dress because it made me feel comfortable and confident. I was mistaken for a secretary, clerk, runner…everything BUT the lawyer. A friend of mine looked at me and said, “Maybe if you wore something more cookie-cutter, they would see you as the lawyer?” But I know that is not the case. Taking that with a smile is hard, but I do it consistently.

I want people to know you don’t have to wear a black or gray suit to be a lawyer. You don’t have to be old and white. You don’t have to be mean and angry-looking! Lawyers do not look one specific way, not anymore. There are suits in every color for a reason, and when we let you know who we are, please believe us. We worked just as hard, if not harder than some of the people you assume are the lawyers to get here.

Bonus Question

C50: Brittany, how can someone connect with you if they seek a great law office and attorney?

B.C. People can connect with me by emailing me directly at brittanywithloomartee@outlook.com or contacting our office manager, Claudia Chavez, at claudiawithloomarte@outlook.com or 708- 797-3056.

BRITTANY CHHUTANI