Brooke D. Hartman
Chief Legal Officer
Executive Snapshot
Brooke Hartman is a Chief Legal Officer who helps founder-led companies and growing businesses navigate the legal challenges that come with expansion. Her experience spans commercial real estate, retail operations, commercial transactions, employment, corporate governance, and day-to-day business counseling.
In addition to serving clients through Unified CLO, Brooke currently serves as General Counsel for a regional grocery chain, where she advises leadership on the legal and operational issues involved in managing a multi-location retail business. Combined with her background in BigLaw, commercial real estate, entrepreneurship, business ownership, and real estate brokerage, Brooke brings practical legal leadership grounded in how businesses operate every day.
Why Clients Call Brooke
Businesses call Brooke when growth creates new opportunities and new legal challenges.
She understands that expansion involves much more than signing contracts. Opening a new location, purchasing property, hiring employees, negotiating vendor relationships, or restructuring operations all require legal guidance that supports the business rather than slowing it down.
Clients value Brooke's practical, collaborative approach and her ability to translate legal issues into business decisions. Drawing on her experience as General Counsel for a regional grocery chain, a commercial real estate attorney, a real estate broker, and a business owner, she helps organizations build a strong legal foundation while keeping their focus on growth.
Brooke’s Story
Brooke Hartman has always been drawn to building businesses.
Before becoming an attorney, she studied entrepreneurship and earned her MBA, developing an early appreciation for what it takes to turn an idea into a successful organization. That entrepreneurial mindset has shaped every stage of her career, from practicing commercial real estate law at Venable to building her own businesses, serving as General Counsel, and advising founder-led companies through Unified CLO.
One of the strengths of Unified CLO's fractional model is that its attorneys continue serving as legal leaders inside businesses while also advising clients across industries. Brooke currently serves as General Counsel for a regional grocery chain, giving her current, firsthand experience with the legal and operational issues that arise in a fast-moving retail environment. From commercial leasing and vendor agreements to employment matters, regulatory compliance, supply chain considerations, and day-to-day operational decisions, she brings experience that is directly relevant to retailers, consumer product companies, family-owned businesses, and organizations with physical locations.
Her background in commercial real estate, brokerage, entrepreneurship, and business ownership further shapes the way she advises clients. Having worked as outside counsel, in-house counsel, a business owner, a licensed real estate broker, and an entrepreneur, Brooke understands that legal advice must support business objectives, not compete with them.
That perspective aligns naturally with Unified CLO.
Today, Brooke partners with founders, executive teams, and growing businesses that need practical legal leadership as they expand. Whether opening a new location, negotiating a lease, purchasing property, strengthening governance, or navigating the day-to-day legal issues that accompany growth, she focuses on helping businesses move forward with confidence.
Career Experience
Unified CLO
Chief Legal Officer
As a Chief Legal Officer with Unified CLO, Brooke serves as an embedded legal advisor to founder-led companies and growing businesses, providing practical legal leadership across commercial transactions, employment, real estate, corporate governance, compliance, and strategic business initiatives.
She partners closely with executive teams to build legal infrastructure that supports sustainable growth while remaining aligned with each client's business objectives.
Pyramid Foods
General Counsel
In addition to her work with Unified CLO, Brooke currently serves as General Counsel for Pyramid Foods, a regional grocery chain. She advises executive leadership on the legal and operational issues involved in managing a multi-location retail business, including commercial real estate, leasing, employment, vendor and supplier relationships, regulatory compliance, and corporate governance.
Serving as an active General Counsel gives Brooke firsthand insight into the legal and operational realities facing retailers, consumer product companies, distributors, and businesses with physical operations. That current executive experience directly informs the practical guidance she provides to Unified CLO clients.
Hartman Real Estate & Company
Real Estate Broker
As a licensed Florida real estate broker, Brooke represents investors, business owners, and buyers and sellers in a wide range of residential and commercial real estate transactions. Working directly with clients throughout the acquisition and disposition process gives her practical insight into negotiations, market dynamics, financing considerations, and the business realities behind every transaction.
That experience complements her legal practice and allows her to advise clients from both a legal and business perspective, particularly those acquiring, leasing, developing, or investing in real estate.
Venable LLP
Real Estate Attorney
Brooke began her legal career in the Real Estate Group at Venable LLP, where she represented developers, investors, landlords, tenants, and business owners in sophisticated commercial real estate transactions.
Her practice included acquisitions and dispositions, commercial leasing, development, financing, zoning, land use, and mixed-use projects. That technical foundation continues to shape her work today, allowing her to help clients navigate complex real estate matters while keeping broader business objectives at the forefront.
Mother Informed
Founder
Brooke founded Mother Informed to make legal information surrounding pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care more accessible to women and families. The platform reflects her belief that proactive education empowers individuals to understand their rights, advocate for themselves, and make informed decisions before legal issues arise.
Building Mother Informed also reflects Brooke's entrepreneurial spirit and her commitment to using legal knowledge to educate, inform, and improve outcomes beyond the traditional practice of law.
How Brooke Helps Clients
Real Estate, Leasing & Expansion
Brooke helps clients navigate the legal issues that come with physical growth, including commercial leasing, property acquisitions, development questions, zoning and land use considerations, and real estate diligence.
Her background as both a real estate attorney and licensed broker allows her to understand the legal, financial, and practical business considerations that shape real estate decisions.
Retail & Multi-Location Operations
Brooke is particularly valuable to retailers, consumer product companies, family-owned businesses, and organizations with physical operations. Her current General Counsel role with a regional grocery chain gives her firsthand experience with the legal issues that arise when a business operates across multiple locations.
She helps clients address vendor relationships, employment issues, leases, policies, compliance, and the many day-to-day legal questions that come with running a customer-facing business.
Commercial Transactions
Brooke advises clients on commercial agreements that support business growth, including vendor agreements, customer contracts, service agreements, purchase agreements, and other operational contracts.
She approaches contracts as business tools, helping clients protect their interests while keeping deals practical and workable.
Employment, Policies & Day-to-Day Counsel
Growing businesses need practical legal guidance that fits how the organization actually operates.
Brooke helps clients address employment questions, internal policies, operational procedures, compliance issues, and routine legal matters that can quickly become more complicated if left unmanaged.
Founder & Business Owner Counsel
Brooke understands the realities of building and operating a business because she has done it herself.
Whether advising founders, family-owned businesses, entrepreneurs, or growing companies, she brings the perspective of someone who understands that legal advice must be practical, timely, and connected to the business decision in front of the client.
Education
University of Richmond School of Law
Juris Doctor, cum laude
Missouri State University
Master of Business Administration, cum laude
Missouri State University
Bachelor of Science, Entrepreneurship, cum laude
Bar Admissions
Florida
Virginia
District of Columbia
Beyond the Bar
Brooke's entrepreneurial spirit extends well beyond her legal practice. She has built businesses with her husband, including their real estate brokerage, and created Mother Informed to help women better understand their rights throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care.
Before becoming a lawyer, Brooke also created a dance therapy-inspired nonprofit program for youth, offering dance lessons and performance opportunities through Boys and Girls Town. That commitment to building practical resources for others continues to shape the way she approaches both her work and her community involvement.
Outside of work, Brooke enjoys life in Sarasota with her family, where real estate, entrepreneurship, motherhood, and service remain central parts of her life.
Ready to Talk?
Whether your company needs an experienced General Counsel, strategic legal guidance, or executive-level legal leadership, Unified CLO is ready to help.
Schedule a Conversation
Brooke D. Hartman
Chief Legal Officer
Executive Snapshot
Brooke Hartman is a Chief Legal Officer who helps founder-led companies and growing businesses navigate the legal challenges that come with expansion. Her experience spans commercial real estate, retail operations, commercial transactions, employment, corporate governance, and day-to-day business counseling.
In addition to serving clients through Unified CLO, Brooke currently serves as General Counsel for a regional grocery chain, where she advises leadership on the legal and operational issues involved in managing a multi-location retail business. Combined with her background in BigLaw, commercial real estate, entrepreneurship, business ownership, and real estate brokerage, Brooke brings practical legal leadership grounded in how businesses operate every day.
Why Clients Call Brooke
Businesses call Brooke when growth creates new opportunities and new legal challenges.
She understands that expansion involves much more than signing contracts. Opening a new location, purchasing property, hiring employees, negotiating vendor relationships, or restructuring operations all require legal guidance that supports the business rather than slowing it down.
Clients value Brooke's practical, collaborative approach and her ability to translate legal issues into business decisions. Drawing on her experience as General Counsel for a regional grocery chain, a commercial real estate attorney, a real estate broker, and a business owner, she helps organizations build a strong legal foundation while keeping their focus on growth.
Brooke’s Story
Brooke Hartman has always been drawn to building businesses.
Before becoming an attorney, she studied entrepreneurship and earned her MBA, developing an early appreciation for what it takes to turn an idea into a successful organization. That entrepreneurial mindset has shaped every stage of her career, from practicing commercial real estate law at Venable to building her own businesses, serving as General Counsel, and advising founder-led companies through Unified CLO.
One of the strengths of Unified CLO's fractional model is that its attorneys continue serving as legal leaders inside businesses while also advising clients across industries. Brooke currently serves as General Counsel for a regional grocery chain, giving her current, firsthand experience with the legal and operational issues that arise in a fast-moving retail environment. From commercial leasing and vendor agreements to employment matters, regulatory compliance, supply chain considerations, and day-to-day operational decisions, she brings experience that is directly relevant to retailers, consumer product companies, family-owned businesses, and organizations with physical locations.
Her background in commercial real estate, brokerage, entrepreneurship, and business ownership further shapes the way she advises clients. Having worked as outside counsel, in-house counsel, a business owner, a licensed real estate broker, and an entrepreneur, Brooke understands that legal advice must support business objectives, not compete with them.
That perspective aligns naturally with Unified CLO.
Today, Brooke partners with founders, executive teams, and growing businesses that need practical legal leadership as they expand. Whether opening a new location, negotiating a lease, purchasing property, strengthening governance, or navigating the day-to-day legal issues that accompany growth, she focuses on helping businesses move forward with confidence.
Career Experience
Unified CLO
Chief Legal Officer
As a Chief Legal Officer with Unified CLO, Brooke serves as an embedded legal advisor to founder-led companies and growing businesses, providing practical legal leadership across commercial transactions, employment, real estate, corporate governance, compliance, and strategic business initiatives.
She partners closely with executive teams to build legal infrastructure that supports sustainable growth while remaining aligned with each client's business objectives.
Pyramid Foods
General Counsel
In addition to her work with Unified CLO, Brooke currently serves as General Counsel for Pyramid Foods, a regional grocery chain. She advises executive leadership on the legal and operational issues involved in managing a multi-location retail business, including commercial real estate, leasing, employment, vendor and supplier relationships, regulatory compliance, and corporate governance.
Serving as an active General Counsel gives Brooke firsthand insight into the legal and operational realities facing retailers, consumer product companies, distributors, and businesses with physical operations. That current executive experience directly informs the practical guidance she provides to Unified CLO clients.
Hartman Real Estate & Company
Real Estate Broker
As a licensed Florida real estate broker, Brooke represents investors, business owners, and buyers and sellers in a wide range of residential and commercial real estate transactions. Working directly with clients throughout the acquisition and disposition process gives her practical insight into negotiations, market dynamics, financing considerations, and the business realities behind every transaction.
That experience complements her legal practice and allows her to advise clients from both a legal and business perspective, particularly those acquiring, leasing, developing, or investing in real estate.
Venable LLP
Real Estate Attorney
Brooke began her legal career in the Real Estate Group at Venable LLP, where she represented developers, investors, landlords, tenants, and business owners in sophisticated commercial real estate transactions.
Her practice included acquisitions and dispositions, commercial leasing, development, financing, zoning, land use, and mixed-use projects. That technical foundation continues to shape her work today, allowing her to help clients navigate complex real estate matters while keeping broader business objectives at the forefront.
Mother Informed
Founder
Brooke founded Mother Informed to make legal information surrounding pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care more accessible to women and families. The platform reflects her belief that proactive education empowers individuals to understand their rights, advocate for themselves, and make informed decisions before legal issues arise.
Building Mother Informed also reflects Brooke's entrepreneurial spirit and her commitment to using legal knowledge to educate, inform, and improve outcomes beyond the traditional practice of law.
How Brooke Helps Clients
Real Estate, Leasing & Expansion
Brooke helps clients navigate the legal issues that come with physical growth, including commercial leasing, property acquisitions, development questions, zoning and land use considerations, and real estate diligence.
Her background as both a real estate attorney and licensed broker allows her to understand the legal, financial, and practical business considerations that shape real estate decisions.
Retail & Multi-Location Operations
Brooke is particularly valuable to retailers, consumer product companies, family-owned businesses, and organizations with physical operations. Her current General Counsel role with a regional grocery chain gives her firsthand experience with the legal issues that arise when a business operates across multiple locations.
She helps clients address vendor relationships, employment issues, leases, policies, compliance, and the many day-to-day legal questions that come with running a customer-facing business.
Commercial Transactions
Brooke advises clients on commercial agreements that support business growth, including vendor agreements, customer contracts, service agreements, purchase agreements, and other operational contracts.
She approaches contracts as business tools, helping clients protect their interests while keeping deals practical and workable.
Employment, Policies & Day-to-Day Counsel
Growing businesses need practical legal guidance that fits how the organization actually operates.
Brooke helps clients address employment questions, internal policies, operational procedures, compliance issues, and routine legal matters that can quickly become more complicated if left unmanaged.
Founder & Business Owner Counsel
Brooke understands the realities of building and operating a business because she has done it herself.
Whether advising founders, family-owned businesses, entrepreneurs, or growing companies, she brings the perspective of someone who understands that legal advice must be practical, timely, and connected to the business decision in front of the client.
Education
University of Richmond School of Law
Juris Doctor, cum laude
Missouri State University
Master of Business Administration, cum laude
Missouri State University
Bachelor of Science, Entrepreneurship, cum laude
Bar Admissions
Florida
Virginia
District of Columbia
Beyond the Bar
Brooke's entrepreneurial spirit extends well beyond her legal practice. She has built businesses with her husband, including their real estate brokerage, and created Mother Informed to help women better understand their rights throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care.
Before becoming a lawyer, Brooke also created a dance therapy-inspired nonprofit program for youth, offering dance lessons and performance opportunities through Boys and Girls Town. That commitment to building practical resources for others continues to shape the way she approaches both her work and her community involvement.
Outside of work, Brooke enjoys life in Sarasota with her family, where real estate, entrepreneurship, motherhood, and service remain central parts of her life.
Ready to Talk?
Whether your company needs an experienced General Counsel, strategic legal guidance, or executive-level legal leadership, Unified CLO is ready to help.
Schedule a Conversation
Brooke D. Hartman
Chief Legal Officer
Executive Snapshot
Brooke Hartman is a Chief Legal Officer who helps founder-led companies and growing businesses navigate the legal challenges that come with expansion. Her experience spans commercial real estate, retail operations, commercial transactions, employment, corporate governance, and day-to-day business counseling.
In addition to serving clients through Unified CLO, Brooke currently serves as General Counsel for a regional grocery chain, where she advises leadership on the legal and operational issues involved in managing a multi-location retail business. Combined with her background in BigLaw, commercial real estate, entrepreneurship, business ownership, and real estate brokerage, Brooke brings practical legal leadership grounded in how businesses operate every day.
Why Clients Call Brooke
Businesses call Brooke when growth creates new opportunities and new legal challenges.
She understands that expansion involves much more than signing contracts. Opening a new location, purchasing property, hiring employees, negotiating vendor relationships, or restructuring operations all require legal guidance that supports the business rather than slowing it down.
Clients value Brooke's practical, collaborative approach and her ability to translate legal issues into business decisions. Drawing on her experience as General Counsel for a regional grocery chain, a commercial real estate attorney, a real estate broker, and a business owner, she helps organizations build a strong legal foundation while keeping their focus on growth.
Brooke’s Story
Brooke Hartman has always been drawn to building businesses.
Before becoming an attorney, she studied entrepreneurship and earned her MBA, developing an early appreciation for what it takes to turn an idea into a successful organization. That entrepreneurial mindset has shaped every stage of her career, from practicing commercial real estate law at Venable to building her own businesses, serving as General Counsel, and advising founder-led companies through Unified CLO.
One of the strengths of Unified CLO's fractional model is that its attorneys continue serving as legal leaders inside businesses while also advising clients across industries. Brooke currently serves as General Counsel for a regional grocery chain, giving her current, firsthand experience with the legal and operational issues that arise in a fast-moving retail environment. From commercial leasing and vendor agreements to employment matters, regulatory compliance, supply chain considerations, and day-to-day operational decisions, she brings experience that is directly relevant to retailers, consumer product companies, family-owned businesses, and organizations with physical locations.
Her background in commercial real estate, brokerage, entrepreneurship, and business ownership further shapes the way she advises clients. Having worked as outside counsel, in-house counsel, a business owner, a licensed real estate broker, and an entrepreneur, Brooke understands that legal advice must support business objectives, not compete with them.
That perspective aligns naturally with Unified CLO.
Today, Brooke partners with founders, executive teams, and growing businesses that need practical legal leadership as they expand. Whether opening a new location, negotiating a lease, purchasing property, strengthening governance, or navigating the day-to-day legal issues that accompany growth, she focuses on helping businesses move forward with confidence.
Career Experience
Unified CLO
Chief Legal Officer
As a Chief Legal Officer with Unified CLO, Brooke serves as an embedded legal advisor to founder-led companies and growing businesses, providing practical legal leadership across commercial transactions, employment, real estate, corporate governance, compliance, and strategic business initiatives.
She partners closely with executive teams to build legal infrastructure that supports sustainable growth while remaining aligned with each client's business objectives.
Pyramid Foods
General Counsel
In addition to her work with Unified CLO, Brooke currently serves as General Counsel for Pyramid Foods, a regional grocery chain. She advises executive leadership on the legal and operational issues involved in managing a multi-location retail business, including commercial real estate, leasing, employment, vendor and supplier relationships, regulatory compliance, and corporate governance.
Serving as an active General Counsel gives Brooke firsthand insight into the legal and operational realities facing retailers, consumer product companies, distributors, and businesses with physical operations. That current executive experience directly informs the practical guidance she provides to Unified CLO clients.
Hartman Real Estate & Company
Real Estate Broker
As a licensed Florida real estate broker, Brooke represents investors, business owners, and buyers and sellers in a wide range of residential and commercial real estate transactions. Working directly with clients throughout the acquisition and disposition process gives her practical insight into negotiations, market dynamics, financing considerations, and the business realities behind every transaction.
That experience complements her legal practice and allows her to advise clients from both a legal and business perspective, particularly those acquiring, leasing, developing, or investing in real estate.
Venable LLP
Real Estate Attorney
Brooke began her legal career in the Real Estate Group at Venable LLP, where she represented developers, investors, landlords, tenants, and business owners in sophisticated commercial real estate transactions.
Her practice included acquisitions and dispositions, commercial leasing, development, financing, zoning, land use, and mixed-use projects. That technical foundation continues to shape her work today, allowing her to help clients navigate complex real estate matters while keeping broader business objectives at the forefront.
Mother Informed
Founder
Brooke founded Mother Informed to make legal information surrounding pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care more accessible to women and families. The platform reflects her belief that proactive education empowers individuals to understand their rights, advocate for themselves, and make informed decisions before legal issues arise.
Building Mother Informed also reflects Brooke's entrepreneurial spirit and her commitment to using legal knowledge to educate, inform, and improve outcomes beyond the traditional practice of law.
How Brooke Helps Clients
Real Estate, Leasing & Expansion
Brooke helps clients navigate the legal issues that come with physical growth, including commercial leasing, property acquisitions, development questions, zoning and land use considerations, and real estate diligence.
Her background as both a real estate attorney and licensed broker allows her to understand the legal, financial, and practical business considerations that shape real estate decisions.
Retail & Multi-Location Operations
Brooke is particularly valuable to retailers, consumer product companies, family-owned businesses, and organizations with physical operations. Her current General Counsel role with a regional grocery chain gives her firsthand experience with the legal issues that arise when a business operates across multiple locations.
She helps clients address vendor relationships, employment issues, leases, policies, compliance, and the many day-to-day legal questions that come with running a customer-facing business.
Commercial Transactions
Brooke advises clients on commercial agreements that support business growth, including vendor agreements, customer contracts, service agreements, purchase agreements, and other operational contracts.
She approaches contracts as business tools, helping clients protect their interests while keeping deals practical and workable.
Employment, Policies & Day-to-Day Counsel
Growing businesses need practical legal guidance that fits how the organization actually operates.
Brooke helps clients address employment questions, internal policies, operational procedures, compliance issues, and routine legal matters that can quickly become more complicated if left unmanaged.
Founder & Business Owner Counsel
Brooke understands the realities of building and operating a business because she has done it herself.
Whether advising founders, family-owned businesses, entrepreneurs, or growing companies, she brings the perspective of someone who understands that legal advice must be practical, timely, and connected to the business decision in front of the client.
Education
University of Richmond School of Law
Juris Doctor, cum laude
Missouri State University
Master of Business Administration, cum laude
Missouri State University
Bachelor of Science, Entrepreneurship, cum laude
Bar Admissions
Florida
Virginia
District of Columbia
Beyond the Bar
Brooke's entrepreneurial spirit extends well beyond her legal practice. She has built businesses with her husband, including their real estate brokerage, and created Mother Informed to help women better understand their rights throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care.
Before becoming a lawyer, Brooke also created a dance therapy-inspired nonprofit program for youth, offering dance lessons and performance opportunities through Boys and Girls Town. That commitment to building practical resources for others continues to shape the way she approaches both her work and her community involvement.
Outside of work, Brooke enjoys life in Sarasota with her family, where real estate, entrepreneurship, motherhood, and service remain central parts of her life.
Ready to Talk?
Whether your company needs an experienced General Counsel, strategic legal guidance, or executive-level legal leadership, Unified CLO is ready to help.
Schedule a Conversation
Your Fractional
Chief Legal Office
About Unified
What We Do
© 2026 Unified Law Group, PB LLC
Your Fractional
Chief Legal Office
About Unified
What We Do
© 2026 Unified Law Group, PB LLC
Legal Hub
Your Fractional
Chief Legal Office
About Unified
What We Do
© 2026 Unified Law Group, PB LLC
Legal Hub