Today we’d like to introduce you to India Ali.
India, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
After attending Southwest DeKalb HS, I went to Hofstra University on an athletic scholarship. At the end of the season my senior year, it became more evident that my basketball career was likely over, but I honestly wasn’t sure what I wanted to do career wise. In my youth, I always played sports and enjoyed the arts, but, ironically, my mother would always tell me that I was going to be a lawyer.
Before graduating college, my mother encouraged me to take the LSAT. Reluctantly, I followed her advice; however, my study habits were terrible and my score reflected it. As you can imagine, all of my law school applications were denied. Fortunately, with the help of my older brother, I was able to obtain a position at Grand Hustle Entertainment, where I was T.I. “TIP” Harris’ Assistant from June 2008-July 2009. While at GH, my mother encouraged me to retake the LSAT and introduced me to her colleague at the time who was a graduate of North Carolina Central University School of Law and practicing attorney in metro Atlanta. He encouraged me to apply to NCCU Law and invited me to an alumni event, where I met other NCCU Law alum in metro Atlanta and the Dean of NCCU Law at the time. Although my LSAT score did not improve much the second time, I applied to NCCU Law as recommended. Despite my low score, NCCU Law saw that I had other qualifying factors, so NCCU Law offered me and other similarly situated applicants the opportunity to prove that the LSAT score was not indicative of how well we would perform as law students, and allowed a group of us to participate in a performance-based admissions program (PBAP).
As the name indicates, my performance in the program dictated my acceptance. During the summer of 2009, I and about 30 other applicants went to Durham, NC, stayed on campus, and underwent a two-week law school boot camp – we had 4 exams and an oral argument. Fortunately, myself and a high school friend both successfully performed and were accepted into NCCU Law for Fall 2009. While in law school, I discovered my love for teaching and began assisting the PBAP professors over the summer as a tutor. I also learned that practicing law was not something I was interested in, so after my first year at NCCU Law, I decided to do a joint program and obtained my MBA to expand my career options. When I graduated in 2013, I was convinced that I wanted to stay in Durham, so I took the NC Bar Exam as a safety net; however, I missed a passing score by 7 points.
Without a law license and no “job” prospects in the Durham area, I begrudgingly moved back home. Unsurprisingly, I ran into the same “hiring” issues in Atlanta, so I decided to take the GA Bar Exam. While awaiting my results, I applied to multiple firms, but no one would hire me without any legal experience, so I ended up working at a recreation camp that I attended as a kid for the summer. During this time, I eventually learned I passed the bar and was luckily introduced to an attorney that owned a general practice law firm in Buckhead by a family friend. The attorney, having a similar background in sports and interest in the arts, suggested I shadow him for a month or so to make a more informed decision about the law. While shadowing him, I was bringing in clients, so shortly thereafter I began working full-time.
Despite my initial hesitation to practice law, I ended up working at his firm for 4.5 years. Although practicing law was my source of income, I was always encouraged to find balance and make space for what brought me joy. During my time at his firm, I was blessed to be able to coach girl’s basketball, travel, write a book, etc. However, after about two years in, I found myself getting burnt out and not enjoying the work. I realized that I needed and wanted more control over my time, but I did not feel ready to take the entrepreneurial step. I also wanted to narrow my focus within the law – I learned that I enjoyed personal injury (PI) law more than the other areas we practiced at his firm. As a result, I left his firm in February 2019 and joined a boutique firm in Midtown that specialized in PI.
Immediately after joining the new firm, I knew I would not be there long, but I mentally decided that I would give it a year. Ironically, after being there for about 3 months, I was let go without explanation. At the time, I had mixed feelings because I felt I performed well; nevertheless, I knew I was not satisfied there and hated working on someone else’s terms. Moreover, I had been seeking clarity for years and praying for a sign regarding stepping out on my own. Being fired, although it didn’t feel good in the moment, was the best thing that happened to me. Luckily, my now-husband had the foresight and pushed me to begin the process of starting my own firm on paper, so by the time I was fired, everything I needed was already in place and I could leap. I celebrated my 1-year business anniversary this past June.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I have arrived to where I am now mostly unscathed, but I would be doing myself and any reader a disservice to pretend the journey did not have some potholes. For me, failing the NC Bar Exam and then not being able to find work after passing the GA Bar Exam were very frustrating experiences and fed the idea that law just wasn’t for me. It was also difficult to consistently balance a job at a law firm with my passion for coaching and training basketball. At the time, the job was merely a source of income, so I had a constant inner struggle with wanting to pursue passion full-time versus what was financially feasible. Additionally, finding myself and making my own lane within and without the law wasn’t an entirely easy task. I have had to rediscover and redefine who I am, over and over, and not allow being an “attorney” to dictate how I view or value myself. Also, I have had to ignore others’ expectations and not let the outside noise interfere with my focus, growth and identity.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
The Law Office of India Y. Ali is a small firm that primarily focuses on personal injury matters, specifically representing clients who have suffered injuries resulting from motor vehicle accidents. My firm handles each case with care and detail, providing clients with the necessary one-on-one attention to help them understand their case and maximize its value. As a solo-practitioner, I pride myself on quality client service and effective communication. Moreover, with a background in sports and business, I have gained the experience to resolve a variety of legal issues, so my firm’s practice areas also include wrongful death, medical malpractice, slip and falls, contract formation and contract breach, wills and estate planning, real estate issues, elite amateur athlete consultation, as well as domestic matters and criminal defense.
I celebrated my first year in business in June 2020, and my firm has already donated about $30,000.00 to small businesses, high school basketball programs, and non-profit organizations in metro Atlanta and my own DeKalb County community. My firm has made solid connections with other law firms and built sound friendships with excellent medical providers across the state to ensure personal injury clients get the best medical treatment for their injuries. Lastly, I am proud of the growth in such a short time, the quality service and 1-on-1 attention that my firm provides clients – 95% of my clients are referrals and/or repeat clients because of this.
There are a lot of personal injury firms, small and big, in metro Atlanta. However, I think my firm is different, because I offer a more personalized service for my clients. I am the first and last person my clients talk to. There is no middle man or case manager giving them an update or taking a message for me. When clients have a question about their case or about some other legal issue, they can contact me directly and often get a very quick response. This personal touch is very unique and has been managed delicately and respectfully. In 6+ years of practicing, I have learned that more than anything, a client wants to be able to talk to their attorney. This direct communication builds trust and trust is key in creating long lasting relationships.
What were you like growing up?
I come from an Islamic family where hustle and good character were encouraged, so I think I have always had an independent mind and principled spirit. Growing up, I was an honor roll student, a member of a variety of scholastic and artistic clubs and organizations, and was considered an elite amateur athlete in softball and basketball. I generally had a laid back personality and made friends easily, but thoroughly enjoyed my personal space and often sought isolation to guard my energy, and form my own opinions and ideas. My interests ran the gamut, but basketball, art and music were primary. I was an avid reader and also loved drawing, painting and creative writing. Similar to now, I let the work speak for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: indiayali.com
- Phone: 4044820699
- Email: india@indiayali.com
- Instagram: @iyaenzinur
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