Today we’d like to introduce you to Najah Middleton.
Hi Najah, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Law has been a passion of mine since I was 7. It all started from binge watching true crime documentaries with my mom on the couch. From then on it was destined. Anybody who knew me knew that I wanted to be an attorney and I never wavered from that path.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The whole journey was filled with obstacles and challenges. Though I always had the passion, I didn’t always have the motivation. It took me almost not getting into college for me to realize that I needed to put in the work to turn my dreams into reality. Once I got to college I put the pedal to the metal. I was determined to be successful. My goal was always to either make partner or own my own firm. Once I got to law school the real challenge hit. It was easy for me to focus on my studies, but it wasn’t quite easy figuring out my path within the legal realm. I switched my area of practice multiple times, and found myself trying to adapt to the traditional law school route. Law school focused so heavily on litigation and making it to one of the top law firms. It felt like a trap because realistically only the top 10% had a chance of making it into one of those firms, but there wasn’t a huge focus on where the remaining 90% would fall. Law school made you feel like there was only one route to success. Either you make it in big law or you fall on the other side of the spectrum, which was public interest or smaller law firms. Neither of those options were bad, but it also wasn’t glamorized or prioritized the way being in one of the most prestigious firms was. My first year I tried hard to fit the mold. I would interview at big firms but felt out of place and it never seemed to work out. I took that as a sign that it wasn’t for me. I wasn’t interested in a rat race or working 12 hrs a day. I knew early that my path was different but wasn’t quite sure what. In that pursuit, I stumbled across tax law. I was taking a tax class while simultaneously working as a student attorney in the tax clinic. From there I found my passion. Tax law. I was one of few people interested in that area, but it gave me the most fulfillment. Helping people get out of debt, and understanding something that affects our daily life. 6 years later I built my dream career off that passion, becoming partner in at my firm Morris and Middleton, LLC within only three years of being a practicing attorney. me.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Morris and Middleton LLC?
We are a small Tax and Estate planning law firm located in Brookhaven. On the estate planning side we focus on creating wills and trusts, while also handling probate matters for individuals who lost a loved one. On the tax side, we focus on tax preparation, tax planning and strategizing, as well as audit defense. I focus primarily on the tax side and practically run that department.
What sets us apart from other firms is how we strive to ensure that our clients actually understand the work being done for them.
For example, every tax return we prepare we review line by line with the client. This gives them the opportunity to ask questions about their return, while also gaining an understanding of how their taxes actually work. The number one compliment we receive is how we actually take the time to break down their return instead of just giving them a finished product. Because of that, we have been able to grow organically via word of mouth referrals.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Never be afraid to follow your own path. Untraditional routes lead us to the most beautiful destinations sometimes. Life is not a one size fit all box, and you shouldn’t squeeze yours into a mold that doesn’t fit. Live in and embrace your difference.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.atlantataxandestate.com
