Today we’d like to introduce you to Edith Nazarian
Hi Edith, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in Burbank, California, to Armenian-immigrant parents who were very hard working and instilled the same kind of work ethic in me. As a child, thanks to parental persuasion, I always assumed that I would become an attorney, but when I went to college, I told myself to stay open-minded and go where my heart guided me. This is why when I went to study at the University of California, Irvine, I majored in English, with an emphasis in creative writing, and minored in Criminology, Law and Society. I love intellectual analysis and discussion, and there was actually a point in time where I considered pursuing a career in academia or an MFA in creative writing. I always knew, though, that I wanted to use my skills to help people, and I felt that becoming a lawyer would be the best way for me to make an immediate impact on peoples’ lives, so that’s exactly what I did.
I studied at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, where for a long time I thought I would become a district attorney. Criminal law was fascinating, and I loved the constant hustle and bustle of being in court. During law school, I externed at the district attorney’s office as a certified law clerk putting on preliminary hearings —there was never a dull moment, and you never knew what kind of arrest report would fall into your lap one moment or what crimes you would need to try to prove up to a judge in the next. I had also interned at my law school’s Project for the Innocent, where I saw first-hand the importance of having prosecutors who prevented injustices, like wrongful convictions, from happening, and I wanted to be just that kind of prosecutor. After I graduated and passed the bar exam, though, the district attorney’s office where I had been externing wasn’t hiring, so instead of becoming a criminal prosecutor like I had always thought, I became a criminal defense attorney.
My first criminal defense case was out in Mojave, California, and dealt with multiple felony charges. It also dealt with immigration issues, since my client was a permanent resident who couldn’t get a bond because ICE had placed a hold on him. Even though it was a tough situation, I believed in my client’s innocence and was able to prove this to the district attorney in charge. The result was a complete dismissal of the case, and my client was able to keep his green card and continue living in the United States with his family.
After this, I had a choice of either staying solo or working at a law office where I could gain more experience. I decided to do the latter and began working at a small firm in the Valley that focused on criminal and immigration law where I appeared in multiple state and federal courtrooms for both criminal and immigration cases, wrote multiple motions and appeals, and not only argued but also won a case at oral argument before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
There came a point, though, where I felt that I had hit a ceiling in my career. I decided that I needed to make a major change to continue growing both professionally and personally, and that’s when I became something that I had never imagined becoming: an entrepreneur and business owner by opening my own law firm.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Life as a business owner has definitely not always been smooth! When I first started my business, I continued working at my old law firm during regular office hours and then would meet with my own clients after. I’d then go home where I would work on my own cases before going to work the next day and doing the entire process all over again. It was extremely tiring, but I was determined to make it work. I did this for a few months before I felt like I had enough of a footing to jump into my solo practice full-time.
I had never had my own business before, and there were so many things that I learned through experience. Finding ways to become more efficient, making strategic decisions quickly, creating organized systems, studying marketing—I figured out what worked (and what didn’t work) for my business often through trial and error. One of my biggest takeaways through all of this is that I learned the importance of listening to my gut—in my experience, it’s honestly rarely ever wrong—and, from this, I learned the value of trusting myself, even when I didn’t know what was coming around the corner.
Having my own business has provided me with so many opportunities for growth, freedom, and flexibility—at the same time, I’m ultimately responsible for making sure everything runs smoothly and successfully, which includes not only running the business but also practicing the law. It can be a lot, but I truly believe that everything in life is about balance. I find it extremely important to listen to your body and rest when you need to in order to help keep things manageable. I’m a huge advocate for attorney wellness, because I truly believe that by taking care of yourself emotionally, mentally, and physically, you can put yourself in the best position to serve your clients, and providing my clients with the best experience possible is my ultimate goal.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Law Offices of Edith Nazarian, APC?
My firm, Law Offices of Edith Nazarian, APC, is based in Los Angeles, California, and I presently have two office locations, one in Woodland Hills and one in Glendale. I have been practicing law for over a decade, and my main practice areas are California criminal law and U.S. immigration law, with a special emphasis on the overlap of the two: crimmigration. This can involve non-citizens who are in criminal court and are facing immigration issues if they are convicted as well as non-citizens who are in immigration proceedings or are at risk of losing their status and need further assistance like post-conviction relief. Along with representing individuals in criminal court and immigration removal proceedings, I help with citizenship, green card (family and non-family based), and immigrant and non-immigrant visa applications. Given my creative background, I particularly enjoy O-1B applications, which involve extraordinary individuals in the arts, and I also have a passion for helping people in need of humanitarian-based relief, like VAWA, U-visas, and asylum.
I have been recognized as a Super Lawyer – Rising Star for multiple years as well as a Top Attorney in 2023 by Pasadena Magazine. I am a published author on the topic of criminal immigrants at the border, and I’ve spoken at various conferences and events on the topic of crimmigration and O-1 visas. Along with my practice, I’m also very involved in my community: I am currently the Secretary of the Southern California Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and a member of the executive committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association Immigration and Nationality Section. I’ve also traveled to Washington, DC to participate in the AILA National Day of Action to speak to members of Congress to advance immigration reform.
Recently, I’ve been working on starting my own podcast, The Client Connection, which discusses ways that attorneys and clients can work together to help increase case success. I hope to share my passion for practicing the law and what I’ve learned through the years with others to assist them through their legal journeys.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Although I’m an attorney who takes her work extremely seriously and practices in areas that can be stressful and involve high stakes situations, I view my work as I view my life: with joy and positivity. I think it’s so important to bring that human element to the work I do and consider the situation from my client’s perspective. It truly makes me happy to be practicing in a field that allows me to be of assistance to others and make a real difference in their lives, and when I work with clients, I strive to bring that happiness and desire to help to each meeting. My hope is that I can impart not only my knowledge and expertise but also my passion and joy to others as they go through what can be a very difficult time in their lives and navigate the often-times complicated legal process.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://enlawoffices.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enlawoffices/
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/enlawoffices
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@lawofficesofedithnazariana4562
Image Credits
Simone Van Kempen
