Alara T. Chilton

Law School
Northeastern University School of Law

Major Cases
Chilton represents clients in criminal and consumer cases. To her clients, every case is considered a “major case.” A case she is most proud of occurred in 2013, when her client, an Army veteran, faced 17 years in prison for shooting someone who attempted to break into a convenience store. The case garnered media attention. Chilton brought in her friend, Manuel Ramirez, as co-counsel. They vehemently argued their client shot his gun in self-defense. Thanks to their efforts, the Army veteran did not spend a single day behind bars. Equally significant, the Army veteran could petition the court to have only a misdemeanor on his record after one year of probation.

Professional Background
Chilton opened her law firm in July 2012, after obtaining valuable jury trial experience as a city and state prosecutor in San Diego. Her firm is dedicated to criminal defense and consumer rights litigation. In addition to defending those accused of crimes, Chilton protects people from predatory debt collectors, unscrupulous car dealers and identity theft.

Professional Affiliations
Chilton is an active member of the San Diego County Bar Association where she serves on the Legal Ethics Committee. She is also an active member of the San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association and San Diego Lawyers Club. She is a member of San Diego Criminal Defense Bar Association and the National Association of Consumer Attorneys.

Personal Affiliations
Chilton annually co-chairs two community service programs on behalf on the San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association: Since 2012, she has co-chaired Project L.E.A.D. (Legal Enrichment and Decision Making) a ten-week crime prevention and educational program for fifth graders. Also since 2012, Chilton has co-chaired "Neighborhood Law School", a three-month educational program that provides San Diego residents free informational lectures on various areas of the law.

In 2014, Chilton was awarded the San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association President’s Award for her commitment to improving the lives of Latinos.

Personal Background
Chilton was born in Bogota, Colombia, and is the daughter of Colombian immigrants. She has one brother who is a dedicated high school teacher in San Diego. Chilton also adores her grandmother who serves as inspiration of strength and resilience. Chilton is passionate about sharing Latino culture, serving her community and is an avid practitioner of Bikram yoga.