difficult, Chutich said, but going forward, she aims “to love others in my life as best as I can, to honor her spirit.” Chutich is one of four women justices on the Minnesota Supreme Court—a female majority. Though the seven justices bring different life experiences to the court, Chutich said the state’s highest court remains a haven of civility, even at a time of deep political divisions. “There is a real esprit de corps here, and I think for the most part we agree to disagree without being disagreeable, which is really important.” Justice Chutich has two recent St. Thomas Law graduates clerking for her this term— Megan Massie ’22 J.D. and Mary Clare Mulcahy ’22 J.D . Massie said she’s been
impressed with the way the justice prioritizes writing her opinions in a way that the general public can understand, noting “she’s always thinking about the impact she will have.” Mulcahy added that Justice Chutich is a great role model in many respects, including her dedication to self-care: “I get outside and exercise every day, and I can do that because my boss prioritizes it.” Chutich first became involved with St. Thomas through Judge Murphy, who was instrumental in the reopening of the law school in 2001. She introduced Chutich to Lisa Montpetit Brabbit, associate dean for external relations, who in turn recruited Chutich for the Mentor Externship Program.
“Justice Chutich is what I would call a professional exemplar,” Brabbit said, “not just for the way she does her job, but for who she is as a person.” Rob Vischer, former dean of the law school and now president of the University of St. Thomas, added “she is an exceptionally kind and caring person. She models for our students
the fact that you can occupy a position of prominence and
power without compromising your commitment to affirming the dignity of every person you encounter.” For her part, Chutich said she gets a lot out of her encounters with her mentees: “They’re really enthusiastic and I find that invigorating, to get to know young people who have a desire to change the world.” Early on,
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