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Practical In-House Counsel for Real Estate and Growth-Stage Businesses
Brooke D. Hartman is a seasoned in-house counsel and real estate attorney who delivers business-first legal support to companies navigating real estate transactions, employment issues, and operational growth. With experience leading internal legal matters for a grocery store chain and a foundation in BigLaw, Brooke brings a steady hand and solutions-oriented mindset to every matter.
At Unified Law, she partners with founder-led and growth-stage companies to help them stay ahead of legal risk while scaling confidently. Whether reviewing a lease, revising an employment policy, or negotiating a key vendor agreement, Brooke brings the calm clarity of someone who’s been the only lawyer in the room—handling issues that touch every part of the business.
Brooke embodies Unified Law’s ethos: Where Business, Law, and Impact Unite. Through her work with Mother Informed, she’s shown that great lawyers don’t just interpret the law—they use it as a tool for service, advocacy, and community empowerment.
Core Areas of Focus
In-House Legal Operations
As In-House Counsel, Brooke handles a wide range of corporate legal matters, from commercial contracts and policy development to employment support and risk mitigation.
Real Estate Transactions & Strategy
Brooke advises on the purchase, sale, leasing, and development of office, retail, residential, and mixed-use properties. She’s supported complex real estate deals both in-house and at Venable LLP, helping clients navigate everything from zoning and entitlements to commercial lease negotiations.
Employment & Compliance Support
Brooke regularly supports internal HR and operations teams with employment documentation, classification reviews, and policy alignment—especially under state-specific rules. She helps clients reduce risk while maintaining a positive team culture.
Legal Education & Advocacy
Brooke brings an educator’s heart to her legal practice. As founder of Mother Informed, she built a legal education platform that empowers women with accessible, actionable knowledge about their rights during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum. Her passion for service and plain-language advocacy reflects exactly why Unified Law attracts top-tier attorneys: because their superpower isn’t just the law—it’s using it to make a difference.
M&A Diligence & Deal Readiness
With cross-functional legal experience, Brooke contributes to M&A due diligence and operational cleanup projects. She helps clients prepare for investment or sale by identifying risks in real estate holdings, internal documentation, and employment practices.
Career Highlights
Pyramid Foods – Assistant In-House Counsel supporting operations in real estate, commercial contracts, and employment law.
Venable LLP – Real Estate Associate involved in high-value transactions and land use matters for office, retail, and mixed-use projects.
Mother Informed, LLC – Founded a legal education platform focused on empowering women with practical knowledge of their rights during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum.
Bar Admissions
State Bar of Virginia
State Bar of Florida
District of Columbia Bar
Education
J.D., University of Richmond School of Law, cum laude
Top 25% | First Place, Transactional LawMeet (M&A) | President, Phi Alpha Delta | Study Abroad: University of Cambridge
MBA, Missouri State University
B.S. in Entrepreneurship, Missouri State University, cum laude
Beyond the Bar
Proud mom to two little ones—a sweet boy and a spunky girl—who keep her busy around the clock.
Lifelong dancer who taught ballroom and Latin dance throughout college and grad school.
Former romance travel blogger chronicling her and her husband’s adventures across Europe—including studying abroad in Cambridge and getting married in Italy.
Raised in the Ozarks, she’ll always have a soft spot for small towns, lake days, and country cooking.
