Her Story
About Nadia
I started out as pre-med at UCLA, studying molecular biology, and was accepted into medical school. But I decided not to continue on that path and pivoted into law. At USC, entertainment plays a big role on campus, with the film school and the business school, and then also the law school. I took some classes specifically on entertainment law, and then some classes in the business school at the Marshall School of Business. I just fell in love with the idea of creating and protecting the rights of creatives, and basically helping to contribute to that. I knew from the beginning that I wanted to use my legal skills to help clients achieve their goals, and I was more into trying to resolve issues and to build things. Now I practice corporate and business law, doing all transactional work. My clients are in fashion, entertainment, and tech, and they all share the creative side - the IP side with trademark and copyright, and working with creative licensing rights. I've been practicing for 22 years, and my main area of expertise is resolving conflict. What I consider my most notable professional achievement is enabling my clients to reach their goals and doing it in a way where it's a win-win for everyone. That's the real art of it - being a counselor to your client and helping them throughout their careers, which is a skill that cannot be replaced by AI.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Nadia
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to working hard. That's really what it comes down to - putting in the effort and dedication to achieve my goals.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received is about resilience. The name of the game is to stay in the game. It's about adopting and keeping up with changing environments. You have to be able to adapt to whatever comes your way and not give up, no matter what challenges you face.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to a young woman entering my industry would be: Be prepared. Don't take anything personally. And trust your gut. These three things are essential to navigating the legal field successfully.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think AI is sweeping across all industries, and everybody's kind of trying to figure out what the next step is and how to integrate and adapt. It's a major challenge and opportunity at the same time. Already, the Supreme Court refused to hear the copyright case, kind of affirming the human aspect requirements, so that was a win. But we're all still navigating how AI will change the practice of law and trying to understand where it fits in.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in my work and personal life are being honest, being diligent and good at what you do, and being professional. These three values guide everything I do, both in my professional capacity and in my personal life.
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