A2J Tech Employee Spotlight Series: Julia Schutt and Krista Jolivette

As we head into spring, we're thrilled to introduce you to the newest members of our team!

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This series is more than just getting to know the brains of our company - it's about showcasing the unique personalities that drive A2J Tech. You'll get an inside look into the lives of our team members who are passionate about making justice accessible.

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Find out where our employees are from, their hidden talents, beloved pets, favorite books and movies, and maybe pick up a new favorite holiday recipe along the way!

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This week we are introducing Julia Schutt, Legal Researcher & Project Manager and Krista Jolivette, Legal Innovator.

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Julia Schutt

How did you get into legal tech? 

Sideways! (Like most things in my life). I had a background in human rights and research and was hired at a nonprofit in Boston to lead research projects related to access to justice. The intersection with technology was a major part of that work, and I was excited by how technology projects–when done right–could bring a lot of curiosity and creativity in the legal sphere. 

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Why is access to justice important to you? 

I am a firm believer in justice, solidarity, equality, liberation, and dignity across the board. Access to justice is a concrete but powerful way to work for these principles in our communities. In addition to the essential and incremental improvements that come out of access to justice initiatives, I see it as having transformative potential by helping us interrogate the legal system and its inequalities.

If you weren’t working for A2J Tech, what would you be doing? 

My previous job was coordinating an independent film in Mexico, so maybe that! 

A2J Tech has employees all over! Where are you based out of?

I’m from Boston, but am currently living in Manchester, UK. 

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A2J Tech does a weekly employee trivia! What topic would you be best at? 

Buffy the Vampire Slayer trivia and nothing else. 

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What’s your favorite holiday recipe? 

I’m not really a recipe person… or a holiday person? 

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Do you have any pets?

Not currently… I had a dog several years ago, and have fostered a cat and puppy since then.  

‍What is your favorite book or movie? 

I love contemporary Iranian cinema but if I had to pick a go-to movie it would be Jurassic Park. I read a lot of fiction and am a regular patron at my public library, but it is hard to choose favorites! Some recent books I loved were Outline (Rachel Cusk), Things We Lost in the Fire (Mariana Enríquez), and Memorial (Bryan Washington). 

What do you listen to while working remotely? 

It depends on the task but if I’m trying to focus then typically I go for classical music, brown noise, or Dan Deacon-esque stuff (or silence!). 

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What’s one place you’d really like to visit? 

(A free Palestine?) 

I mostly go wherever my friends are living! But I have wanted to go to northern Cyprus because I’ve been told it’s the donkey capital of the world.  

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What’s a surprising fact about you? 

I’ve lived in 4 US states and 5 countries… which is only surprising if you don’t know me I guess :)  

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What’s your Meyers-Briggs alignment? 

I haven’t taken the test in ages, but was INFP last I did it. 

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Krista Jolivette

How did you get into legal tech? 

I have always been interested in issues surrounding access. I am from a small town in rural Iowa, where growing up, I knew there were access issues with things like technology and broadband services. Iowa is also one of the many places in the nation with a rural legal desert (a shortage of attorneys in small-town communities), so as I learned more about these issues in law school, I became interested in how to solve them. I am grateful for places like A2J Tech, who are doing the important work in bridging these gaps.

Why is access to justice important to you? 

I have seen firsthand how a lack of information, access, and readily available, affordable legal representation diminishes the rights and stability of individuals. Many of the barriers facing folks in the legal system are not only things like transportation and distance, but a gap in information and technology. The issue of access to justice impacts individuals and communities in tangible ways, and it is an issue I want to spend my legal career working to eliminate. 

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If you weren’t working for A2J Tech, what would you be doing? 

My dream job is to be a voice actor for an animated series. How fun would that be?! 

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A2J Tech has employees all over! Where are you based out of?

Denver, Colorado! I am currently in my third year of law school at the University of Denver. 

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A2J Tech does a weekly employee trivia! What topic would you be best at? 

State capitols. I crushed that exam in fourth grade and I still know all of them. 

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What’s your favorite holiday recipe? 

Anything with vanilla and almond flavors is a success in my book. My family enjoys Norwegian pastries around Christmastime, including kringla, lefse, and a dense almond loaf cake. All of them are great with a cup of hot coffee! 

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Do you have any pets? 

It’s a long story . . . I used to have a corgi, but now I share her with my parents. I do have a few succulents, if you count plants. 

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What is your favorite book or movie? 

Favorite book: Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo 

Favorite movie: The Parent Trap (the 1998 version with Lindsay Lohan, of course)

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What do you listen to while working remotely? 

I like the sounds of the outdoors, so when the weather is nice, I open the windows and listen to background noises of birds, lawnmowers, and kids playing outside. 

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What’s one place you’d really like to visit? 

Tahiti is at the top of my bucket list. But anywhere with a beach is paradise in my book. 

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What’s a surprising fact about you? 

I am extremely claustrophobic. 

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What’s your Meyers-Briggs alignment? 

ESFJ!