About T. Yvette
T. Yvette Soutiere took an unusual path into law. She began in the sciences, earning a Bachelor of Science from Colorado State University in 1997 after studying microbiology and biology. She later turned to law and received her J.D. from Vermont Law School in 2007.
She entered public defense work soon after law school. In 2007 she joined the Alaska Public Defender’s Office. There she worked on trial dockets and handled courtroom matters typical of a busy public defender practice. The work provided early experience in litigating under pressure and managing cases through all stages of the criminal process.
By 2015 Soutiere had moved into a supervisory role at the Office of Public Advocacy. In that position she oversaw other lawyers and contributed to the office’s handling of more complicated files. Her time in a supervisory slot added administrative responsibilities to her courtroom duties and gave her experience mentoring newer attorneys.
In 2018 she opened the Law Office of T. Yvette Soutiere. The solo practice followed more than a decade in public-sector legal roles. Since founding the office she has operated as the lead attorney, managing both the legal work and the business side of a small firm.
Her admissions reflect the scope of the courts where she practices. Soutiere is admitted to practice in the State of Alaska. She is also admitted to appear before the Immigration Court within the U.S. Department of Justice and the United States District Court for the District of Alaska. Those credentials allow her to take cases in state, federal and immigration venues.
Colleagues describe Soutiere as practical in court and methodical in case preparation. She brings to work a background that spans science training and courtroom practice. That combination has shaped how she approaches fact development and evidence evaluation.
Soutiere’s career moves—from state public defender to supervisory counsel to solo practitioner—trace a through line of courtroom work and office responsibility. She continues to practice from the Law Office of T. Yvette Soutiere, representing clients in matters that fall within her admitted jurisdictions and focusing her current practice on cases in state, federal, and immigration forums.
