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How DJing enriched this lawyer’s life
Jennifer Tutty reveals that her ability to merge the structured world of law with the creative freedom of DJing has not only helped her maintain a healthy work/life balance but also created a unique personal brand that continues to attract clients and opportunities.
Grace Robbie
Speaking on a recent episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, Jennifer Tutty, the principal and founder of Studio Legal, underscored how her passion and deep love for DJing has not only brought her personal joy but has also significantly enriched her professional life as a lawyer.
“When I was at university, I had discovered nightclubs and going out, dancing and DJs, and I really got into house music, which was my choice of electronic music, and I wanted to become a DJ,” she said.
Tutty recounted that her experience as a DJ and spending time at the clubs unexpectedly provided her with the opportunity to engage with various individuals, ultimately contributing to her building up her own client base.
“That was actually the reason why I was able to get my own clients at my first firm. I was able to bring clients in through literally being in a nightclub and having a chat. What do you do? I’m a lawyer. Oh, I’ve got this business, or I’m a promoter, or I’m an artist; I should speak to you. I’m like, here’s my phone number, and sometimes, I would call up, and we would actually work together,” she said.
Despite being able to attract clients through her DJ work, Tutty conveyed her boss’s disapproval of her creative endeavours and advised against her pursuing both careers.
“My first boss, when I was starting out at that corporate job that I had as my first internship, she did say to me on uncertain terms, you can’t be a lawyer and a DJ. You need to know this right now,” she said.
Regardless of her boss’s advice, she decided not to follow suit and instead sought employment at a law firm that would enable her to combine her interests in the two seemingly unrelated fields.
Tutty admitted that her inclination towards a career in law is closely tied to the opportunity to engage with creative individuals whose work is a source of profound inspiration for her.
“I probably wouldn’t have chosen law unless I could work with creative people because I need that stimulation and that inspiration from what my clients are doing. Whether they’re painting or creating beautiful architectural plans for their clients, I just feel like I’m involved in the pursuit of creativity and beautiful things, and it really gives me fulfilment in my job,” she said.
Tutty articulated that balancing the analytical demands of law with the creative and expressive nature of DJing has been central to maintaining her overall wellbeing while fostering significant professional development.
“I don’t know if other people feel the same way, but I can find the letter of the law to be quite dry and sort of very black and white, and there’s a right and wrong way to do something.
“It’s really important for me to get into a different side of my brain and just kind of immerse myself and lose myself in something that’s not so strict by the book, like playing music or doing art or whatever else people do. It just allows you to be free,” she said.
She further said: “It just basically helps with my stress. It keeps me motivated, keeps me enjoying life, and it balances out those days where it’s just sitting at my desk for 12 hours, reading contracts, writing contracts, editing, or giving detailed advice to clients. It enables me to keep a real balance.”
DJing has also significantly enhanced her networking skills and has elevated her efforts to establish a personal brand in her field.
“I think from a personal branding perspective, it’s been really helpful, and I haven’t had to push selling my legal services on customers as much because I have this other thing that kind of sells my law services indirectly,” she said.
