Today we’d like to introduce you to Sergio Ardila-Ibarra. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Sergio Ardila was born and raised in Colombia before moving to the United States at age 11. He attended the University of Georgia where he graduated Cum Laude before earning his Juris Doctorate in 2015 from The University of Georgia School of Law. He began his practice of law in the summer of 2015 and currently represents the community across the state of Georgia including the Hispanic community.
Since 2015, Sergio has personally recovered over 25 million dollars for injured Georgia workers. Sergio has won cases at both the trial and appellate levels including having a 2019 undefeated court appearance record of 4-0 and another undefeated court appearance record of 5-0 in 2023. In 2023/2024 Sergio helped define the law in Georgia by winning a seminal Georgia Court of Appeals case and overturning the 5 lower judges. Sergio is also a court-certified mediator under the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution.
Sergio was a member of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials’ 2016 Institute for Leadership. During law school, Sergio had a wide range of experiences including working for Fortune 100 companies such as The Coca-Cola Company & First American Corporation, working for U.S. government organizations such as the Securities Exchange Commission & the Public Defender’s Office, and working for international organizations such as Melo Pimentel – a midsize law firm in Recife, Brazil – & the Colombian Consulate in Orlando.
Sergio was an All-American on the NCWA wrestling team for the University of Georgia and is a Black Belt World Champion in Jiu-Jitsu as well as an ADCC vet and trials medalist. During his free time, he enjoys training and competing in Jiu-jitsu around the world.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Being a high-level attorney while at the same time, a high-level jiujitsu competitor and champion is not always easy. Fighting in the courtroom and on the mats, however, does have many similarities, and excelling in one can help excel in the other. Both have clear goals and adversaries; both require disciplined preparation and follow-through; and both require strict attention to detail. While some people might see the potential for one to take away from the other, I see the potential edge that it gives me over my competition.
Jiujitsu also introduces me to people from all walks of life and those interactions help me tremendously when putting myself in the shoes of any clients, judges, and juries which is an essential skill for a good trial attorney.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I was the single best attorney in my department for the biggest firm in the United States for several years, so I decided to open a firm to provide excellent service and results to all my firm’s clients. Achieving the best results most efficiently and effectively is our most important goal.
We specialize in all personal injury claims including car accidents, wrongful death, premises liability, worker’s compensation, medical malpractice, and many others. The most important thing is to do the absolute best for our clients whether that is to settle their claim for fair and adequate compensation or take the case to trial if necessary. I have never shied away from a trial/fight, and my firm takes that same approach.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Luck will always play a role, but the luckiest thing for one to have is the perseverance to push forward despite where you start in life. Being of able mind and body in the United States during the present time is already one of the luckiest things that can happen to most people, me included. Having a positive outlook and not being afraid or reluctant to do the work is even luckier than that.
Contact Info:
- Website: sergioardilalaw.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackbeltattorney/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sergio.ardilaabogado/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sergio-ardila-244ba716b
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz1Q3bblx1Ftdu6nNXkWbGQ
- Other: https://www.bjjheroes.com/bjj-fighters/sergio-ardila-ibarra
