Headquarter In: Carlsbad, California
Ms. Kelly Bagla, Esq., CEO/Founder of Bagla Law Firm, APC., hails from the United Kingdom; but as far back as she can remember, Kelly has always wanted to be an attorney in America; “The land of opportunity.”
This country was established on some basic principles that still today, more than two centuries later, ring out like a calling to millions of immigrants, seeking opportunity that doesn’t come in ready supply where they are from.
Kelly emigrated to the States, following her graduation from University in England. Upon arrival in the U.S., all Kelly’s childhood dreams of practicing Law in America became an attainable reality. After completing Law School in Northern California, Kelly was lucky enough to land a career working for the largest international Law Firm in the world.
After only a few short years of cutting her teeth with the BIG BOYS in industry; Ms. Bagla chose to ‘grab life by the pearls’ and throw caution to the wind. She walked away from her very secure salaried position and started fine tuning her very own ‘American Dream,’ by branching out independently and starting her own Law Firm. More than a decade later, Bagla Law Firm, APC., has become one of the most trusted names in business law, and serves both domestic and international clients alike. Being able to not only start but grow several businesses in this magnificent country dubbed ‘The land of opportunity,’ has been Ms. Bagla’s crowning achievement.
Kelly is an international award-winning corporate/securities attorney based out of San Diego, California. She has been providing legal expertise to both her foreign and domestic clients for nearly two decades. Her passion (second only to Pitbull-rescue) is assisting like-minded entrepreneurs start, run, and grow their own ‘American Dream’ businesses. Kelly provides the legal framework and proper legal documents/contracts to keep all her clients’ businesses away from the firing squad that is American Business litigation. She has written four books highlighting the path to success (fifth book coming out soon!) and has been acknowledged by countless publications/magazines for her ingenuity, legal savvy, and commitment to helping fellow entrepreneurs succeed.
Below are the highlights of the interview conducted between “The Business Iconic” and Kelly:
- Kindly brief us about your professional journey and what kinds of ethics, principles, and manner of work you observe while managing the business operations.
“There are these God-awful, horribly stereotypical perceptions of all attorneys just being downright BLAH people. (i.e.: Lawyers will ‘squeeze blood from a turnip’). Here at Bagla Law Firm, APC., we do everything within our power to make sure that our FLAT RATE FEE pricing and CLEAR/CONCISE communication, keeps every interaction as pleasant and as productive as possible. I run my law firm the same way I run my life: I know what we’re worth, I know our limitations, I know our expertise, and I know what we can and will do to help be a part of the solution. I won’t ever promise the world if I can’t deliver on it; and on the flip side of that… If I promise you: ‘The World’ you can count on it being delivered.” – Kelly Bagla, Esq.
2. Could you please share your noted milestones and accomplishments throughout your journey so far, along with company highlights and achievements under your leadership.
“Wow… there are so many… To name a few of the more recent ones, I have been honored to have received the following awards:
- Selected Top Woman Entrepreneur by LA Dreams Magazine
- Nominated as one of the Business Women of the Year by San Diego Business Journal
- Selected Top Lawyer by Marquis Who’s Who
- Selected Attorney of the Month by San Diego Attorney Journal
- Winner of 2019-2022 Lawyers of Distinction
- Won Best of 2020 Oceanside Business Services award
- Winner of 2020 Legal Awards for Best International M&A Law Firm USA and Corporate Attorney of the Year, California, by Acquisition International
- Selected Top 20 Businesswomen to watch in 2020 by Insights Success Magazine
- Selected Top Transformational Woman Leader by Industry Wired Magazine
- 2021 award winner of Business Legal Professional of the Year USA by Corporate Live Wire
- Selected cover story for Most Recommended Law Firms to watch in 2021 by The Business Fame Magazine
- Selected cover story for Top Law Firms to watch in 2021 by Tycoon Success Magazine
- Selected cover story for Top Business Law Firms to watch in 2022 by Mirror Review Magazine
- Selected cover story for Top 10 International Law Firms to watch in 2022 by The Inc Magazine
- Podcast host of Go Legal Yourself – top 20 business law podcasts (get the App – it’s free)
- Judge on Everyday Edisons Emmy award winning TV show
- Inducted into the Business Hall of Fame for: 3rd consecutive year winning “Best of Carlsbad” for Business Legal Services”
3. Please tell us about the business model you follow and the services you provide that make the brand unique in the midst of cut-throat competition.
When Kelly started her own law firm, she knew she wanted to run her practice differently from the other law firms, who focus on money. Since, Kelly is an entrepreneur herself, she firmly believes that it takes an entrepreneur to understand the needs of another entrepreneur. This is exactly why the business model at Bagla Law Firm, APC. is simple: ‘Our number one priority is customer service.’ We’re not servicing our clients correctly if we’re wasting their time, overcharging them with billable hours, and dragging out their cases to rack up a higher invoice. So… WE DON’T DO THAT KIND OF STUFF!! We are a Business Formation and Asset Protection Office that is here to help. And we do just that. We help when and where we can.” – Kelly Bagla, Esq.
4. Where do you see yourself and the company in the future? Or, what is your goal to mark its uniqueness in the future?
“All the way up.” We’re shooting for the moon and won’t settle for anything less than the stars. Bagla Law Firm, APC., has made a name for itself as “The Business Law Firm” who truly cares about its clients, and is recognized by prestigious publications as a firm that puts their clients first. We are always available and always keeping our clients’ best interest at heart.
5. Give some advice to aspiring female lawyers who want to work in the same field.
“Never forget who you are. The men you are competing with won’t. Use your womanhood like the superpower that it is! Don’t sacrifice your morals, your ethics, or your values for anything. Stay true to you. There’s no reason to try and “fit in where you can get in,” especially not when you were born to stand out. It may seem daunting right now, but I promise you, success is within your reach. There IS light at the end of the tunnel; if you find yourself surrounded by darkness… KEEP GOING! Never give up. Never Surrender!”
– Kelly Bagla, Esq.
6. What is the one thing that is acting as your motivational tool? Or, who is your role model, and how does that person inspire and motivate you?
“I tried to give this one lots of thought. I considered offering up my wonderful husband/best friend, Brent, as my motivational tool; or even our beautiful dogs as my ‘why,’ but I think, in all honesty, it’s just me. I’ve always been self-motivated. I wake up early, I eat healthy and take care of my body mind and spirit, I go after my goals, and chase my dreams. I guess I could accredit that to my amazing parents. I get my business savvy from my father and my obstinance from my mother. My parents created a nurturing environment that was definitely a hugely contributing factor in my ability to be the woman that I have become today. My mother, my father, and my husband are all inspirational individuals that are role models in and of themselves. All of them motivate me in one way or another on a regular basis. But that one thing that is acting as my motivational tool is “ME.” I know I can always do better. So, I do just that better every day. I am in constant competition with myself. I need to do better today than I did yesterday. I never judge myself based on the performance of others. I just try to ‘stay in my lane’ and ‘be my own competition.’”
– Kelly Bagla, Esq.