"I Had a Strong Sense of Justice"

“Even as a child, I always wanted to be a lawyer,” she said. “I was drawn to the idea of using words, logic, and structure to solve real problems, but even more than that, I had a strong sense of justice.”

Her reasons evolved as she got older, and she believed that the law gave her a framework to take control over uncertainty and to advocate for herself and others, turning intellectual curiosity into practical action.

Growing up in Borough Park, her choice of profession was unusual, as few women in her community went to college. But, determined to follow her passion, she enrolled at Touro’s Lander College of Arts & Sciences (LAS) in 2010 and found a supportive academic home, including political science professor Tom Rozinski, who would become instrumental to her journey.

“Professor Rozinski’s mentoring guided me throughout my entire college and law school experience, even beyond the academic part,” Gittel said.

Other members of the faculty were instrumental in landing her an internship with then-Councilman David Greenfield, a Touro alum, an experience that sparked Gittel’s interest in legislative work and helped build her professional network.

“Everything was through Touro,” she said. “The connections I made through Touro set the stage for everything that came next.”

Setbacks and a second chance

The path forward wasn’t easy. In 2013 Gittel was put on bed rest due to pregnancy-related complications, leaving her no choice but to withdraw from Touro mid-semester. She assumed her academic journey was over at just a few credits shy of graduation.

It wasn’t. In 2018, she reached out to Prof. Rozinski and to Dr. Robert Goldschmidt, Touro’s vice president for planning and assessment and the executive dean of LAS, and told them she wanted to come back. She was able to start from where she had left off five years earlier. Despite the challenges of raising two children, she resumed her coursework, taking two classes per semester and steadily working toward her degree.

“Touro made it so easy to come back,” she said. “I didn’t have to reapply or jump through hoops. I just reached out to them and registered for classes.”

Gittel graduated Touro in 2019 and enrolled in Brooklyn Law School where she thrived, making law review and graduating magna cum laude and ninth in her class. She was ultimately hired by Kirkland & Ellis LLP, the largest law firm in the world by revenue, and began working there this past fall in their restructuring group, a legal field that touches on a little of everything: bankruptcy, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, secured transactions, corporate governance, and tax and regulatory issues.

“I’ve always thrived in fast-moving, high-pressure environments that demand both structure and creativity. Restructuring gives you both,” she said. “I’m grateful to be part of a team that’s known for being sharp, solutions-oriented, and fearless—and I’m excited to contribute to matters that have real impact, not just legally, but commercially and strategically, too.”

Setting an example

Gittel is now raising her daughters with the mindset that education is non-negotiable.

“I worked hard to get here, and I hope that, in doing so, I am setting an example for my daughters,” Gittel said. “I want them to know that, with hard work, they can take on the world.”

With a niece and a nephew currently enrolled at Touro and a daughter looking into taking computer science courses through the university, Gittel’s story has become part of a growing family legacy.

“I owe a huge debt of gratitude to all those who were part of my village along the way,” she said. “A fundamental part of my village was Touro University. They exemplify everything an institution of higher learning should be.”