Helia Jazayeri was born in Iran and raised in Southern California. She graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies. During her undergraduate studies, she studied abroad in England and Sweden. Upon graduation she served as a ProWorld Service Corps volunteer in Belize where she worked for the sole human rights attorney in the country. Helia graduated from the University of Montana School of Law in 2010. During law school, she served as the notes editor as well as the symposium editor for the Montana Law Review. She was a legal intern for Senator Max Baucus after her first year of law school in Washington, D.C. and primarily focused on the legal and public health issues associated with asbestos contamination in Libby, Montana. She served as a clinical intern at the Montana American Civil Liberties Union and was also an intern in our office through law school. She became an associate in 2010.
Helia is a member of the Montana Bar Association, the Western Montana Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. She is admitted to practice in all Montana State and Federals Courts and sits on the Board of Directors for the Montana and National American Civil Liberties Unions.
Helia is married to Alex Bittner, an apprentice falconer (with a peregrine named "Mel," (she came with the name)). Having not (yet) propogated the species, Helia and Alex hone their parenting skills on the animal kingdom with the falcon (who doesn't), Shahkar the English Setter puppy, and adult dog Bailey (the breed hypotheses range widely and change weekly, per behavioral and weather issues). And so concludes this installment of Mutual of Omaha's Helia and Alex. When not finishing up The Ark, they enjoy playing in the outdoors and exploring small towns in Montana.
