Navruz “Nav” Avloni is the Founder and CEO of Avloni Law, a boutique plaintiffs’ litigation law firm known for taking on some of the world’s largest corporations and entities to fight for victims’ rights through employment litigation and more. With a decade of litigation experience, Nav has become a distinguished trial attorney and social justice advocate, vigorously fighting for civil rights across California. Her expertise covers all phases of litigation, from discovery through trials, arbitrations, and appeals, achieving notable results in cases involving race discrimination, disability discrimination, sexual harassment, and whistleblower claims. Nav’s high-profile representations include cases such as Kepnach, et al v. Four Barrel Coffee, Lambert v. Tesla, and Vaughn v. Tesla, highlighting her ability to secure favorable outcomes for her clients, such as the record $137 million verdict in Diaz v. Tesla.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
- Nav Avloni shares how her grandmother inspired her to go to law school
- How moving to the United States as a child affected Nav’s identity
- Nav’s experience working in a civil rights law firm and handling high-profile cases
- The challenges involved in setting up a new practice
- Nav talks about her experience as an immigrant and underrepresented individual
- What motivates Nav to continue protecting underdogs?
In this episode…
Navigating the complex landscape of high-profile litigation and advocating for the rights of the underrepresented can be challenging. How does one manage to not only survive but thrive in such a demanding environment and make a significant impact on social justice?
According to Nav Avloni, a formidable trial attorney and social justice advocate, the answer lies in a blend of personal conviction, relentless pursuit of justice, and strategic litigation practices. Nav emphasizes the importance of meticulous preparation and a deep understanding of each case’s unique dynamics. She believes in empowering her clients by giving them a platform to share their stories, thereby humanizing the legal process. This method not only strengthens their cases but also raises public awareness about critical social justice issues.
In this episode of the Rising Entrepreneurs Podcast, John Corcoran speaks with Nav Avloni, Founder and CEO of Avloni Law, about her immigrant roots and her path to founding her own firm. They delve into the strategies behind navigating high-profile cases, the importance of empowering the underrepresented, and Nav’s relentless pursuit of justice. Through this conversation, listeners will gain insight into the complexities of civil rights litigation and the power of advocacy in effecting meaningful change.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- EO San Francisco
- EO Accelerator
- Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO)
- John Corcoran on LinkedIn
- Rise25
- Navruz “Nav” Avloni: LinkedIn | Email
- Avloni Law
- California Civil Rights Law Group
- California Civil Rights Department
- Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Sponsor for this episode…
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Episode Transcript
Intro 0:03
Welcome to the Rising Entrepreneurs Podcast where we feature top founders and entrepreneurs and their journey. Now let’s get started with the show.
John Corcoran 0:13
Alright, welcome everyone. John Corcoran here. I’m the co host of this show. And for those who are new to this podcast, you know, check out the archives, we’ve got some great interviews with smart CEOs, founders and entrepreneurs of all kinds of companies and organizations. And I’m also the co founder of Rise25, which is a company that helps b2b business owners to connect with their ideal prospects, through podcasts and content marketing. And this episode is brought to you by EO San Francisco. EO San Francisco is the local chapter in the San Francisco Bay area of Entrepreneurs Organization, which is a global peer to peer network of 18,000 plus influential business owners 200 or so chapters worldwide. And if you are the founder, co founder owner or controlling shareholder of a company that generates over a million dollars a year in revenue, and you want to connect with other like minded, successful entrepreneurs, eo is for you, and you can learn more about how it works, or come check out a test drive at eonetwork.org/sanfrancisco. All right, and my guest here today is Nav Avloni. And she is a lawyer like me, except she actually practices which I don’t anymore. And she’s got a great story. She’s got a social justice firm, and she’s a trial attorney headquartered here in the San Francisco Bay Area, she’s doing a lot of interesting work. So we’re gonna get into that whole story. But now I want to start first with your background. So you were born in Uzbekistan, grew up there partly until you’re around age nine. And before you came to trial, is there any one of your big inspirations was your grandmother who kind of inspired you to go to law school? So tell us a little bit about her?
Nav Avloni 1:46
Hi, John, thanks for having me on. Yeah, so I grew up at his biggest fan. And I was raised primarily by my grandmother, before we moved to the States with my family, and my grandmother is phenomenal. She is a phenomenal role model. She was actually one of the youngest Law School students back in Uzbekistan, and then she grew up in ranks very high. She always stuck to, you know, her core values, it always came down to what was right, what was the right thing to do. And, you know, my, my childhood was actually filled with anecdotes from from her about her decision making every call her sharing an anecdote with me, where she was a prosecutor, I guess somebody was trying to get her to be lenient in a sentencing. And I recall, they, I guess, offered her jewelry. And she, her response was, why would I want to cover my skin, like, you know, I have beautiful skin, and then someone offered her a car, and she’s like, I’m sorry, I don’t have a garage, it would be stolen. So she, she always had a very respectful way of denying, and she’s always stayed very, you know, very honest to you know, what she truly believed in, I think, at the end, it showed because she just had so many people who deeply respected her, in the community on both sides of the criminal bench. And so I grew up watching my grandmother, who retired shortly after I was born to watch out for me, because both of my parents were working professionals. But she’s always had people come in asking her for advice, asking her for input. And so I’ve had the privilege of having her provide me with all of these little little gems and lessons here and there, which I really, you know, carry with me today.
John Corcoran 3:42
Yeah, and I think here, you know, in the United States, like two generations back there weren’t that many women that were members of the bar, was that the case also in is Uzbekistan, where there were fewer women that were active lawyers and, you know, as a kid, did you appreciate the, you know, how much of a kind of Trailblazer she was?
Nav Avloni 4:02
You know, it’s it’s such an interesting culture or the time when I when I was in Uzbekistan, growing up, because on one hand, we, we had a very conservative streak, where woman didn’t have a lot of rights in certain respects, when it came within the, you know, within the family, in some situations, it was very patriarchal. But because of communism, where, you know, women were, you know, encouraged to work within all fields, women were given opportunities to go to school women were given opportunities to, to study to, you know, explore all areas. So it was a very interesting juxtaposition where you have quite a decent amount of advancement for women within the profession. Where are you at? You know, there were a good amount of woman that I think, at least, at least during, you know, my trips back that were in positions of power, you Ah, you know, very high, but still, but at the same time, you know, you had the family relationships where it was still very much focused on, you know, a patriarchal culture where, you know, the man is the head of the household. And even though his wife might be working in a, you know, a higher position, because, you know, she’s a member of this party or whatnot. Or she’s, you know, an engineer, because in the communist culture, we, you know, people could go into engineering into mathematics be professors as woman, and so, but you still had, you know, husband who still directed his wife around the home, in a very, like, you know, old fashioned manner. And same thing within kids. You know, I still remember going to a, to a gathering, and I wanted some additional food, because I guess, it was a big feast, and I was like, Oh, just gonna take more. And they’re like, no, but your brother first, my brother’s a tiny kid who didn’t like to eat. But it’s just that mindset, which was, you know, such contrast to how, how, I guess, the professional woman versus the housewife, woman, you know?
John Corcoran 6:09
Yeah, yeah. Great. And so you actually, at about age nine, your father had been studying overseas at Moscow University, actually studied with a professor who ended up winning a Nobel Prize. Your father was involved in that, but you ended up moving to the United States at the age of nine, which is kind of a big change at that age to move the country, you know, that you’ve known to the United States? What was that experience? Like for you? And how did that, you know, affect who you are today?
Nav Avloni 6:38
Yeah, no, it’s, it was. It was definitely a time that has impacted me, I think, you know, and continues to impact me, my father, actually, who I didn’t see as much growing up because he was studying at Angola, which is Moscow State University, I had the first opportunity to live with him, like all the time, and you know, have a have a dad and my mom who actually traveled quite a bit when I was in Uzbekistan, you know, was all of a sudden, you know, staying with us at home. So, that aspect was very nice. It was amazing to have both parents, you know, while I loved being raised by my grandmother, there’s still nothing like parents, you know, so that was wonderful. My dad actually worked with a with a professor at UPenn, which is, after we moved, who ended up getting a Nobel Prize on a project that my dad worked with him. So it was actually in the states that that happened. But, you know, I was, I have to say, I was blown away, I still remember going, I think, within our first week of moving to the States, I remember going to a grocery store and looking at their rainbow shelves of ice creams, and the variety of flavors, and my mind was just blown. I was like, Whoa, you know, and it goes both ways. Because, you know, now I understand because consumerism, consumerism, society, and it has its pros and cons. And, you know, I still remember going to a movie theater and just being blown away by the, the luxury that America had to offer. At the same time, of course, I had moments where that were awkward, you know, not being able to speak English at all, having to transition. Try, you know, having my statements be mistaken, or something else for, you know, a humorous effect, let’s say, by my third grade, or fourth grade friend. So there were definitely moments that, I would say, are a little bit uncomfortable. But for the most part, I think we I was, I had a very good experience, it’s transitional experience. And I think our family was very much welcomed by everyone around us into the community. So we integrated I would say relatively quickly.
John Corcoran 8:55
Yeah. And we’ll get into the work that you do now. But I know also, when you were growing up, you traveled back to this Pakistan, semi regularly. And it was kind of during this time period that you were aware of the sexual assaults that were happening. And that in part inspired you to do the work that you do today.
Nav Avloni 9:16
Yeah, so my family is very close, and his biggest son, and you know, my mom, and my dad made a strong effort to to keep our ties to his biggest town. So we would visit every two years, I’d say over the summers. And so I had a chance to, you know, stay in close contact with family members with friends, to some extent, and yeah, I remember, you know, as, as I was getting older, and I was reaching my early teens, you know, everyone was asking, you know, or actually even late teens, like, you just start thinking about, you know, marriage and whatnot, and you know, and it’s a very different culture and very different perception of you know how relationships work, of course, but one of the things I noticed that I think, really triggered me as, you know, knowing some people that are close to me, who had gotten married, you know, and it was Becca sign and who, when when you get married is because then you will sometimes have to go live with your husband’s family. And you know, in one, actually two particular situations, you know, I know, an incident where, you know, there’s some very serious, violent domestic abuse that took place and the individual came back home. And in at least two cases, you know, she was advised to go back. I know an incident where actually, she was told another person of mine was told not to go back. And I applauded her parents, I was like, Oh, my God, yes. Like, that’s insane. It blows my mind. But in at least, a couple of other situations, you know, they were told to go back, and it just blew my mind. How, you know, how this abuse is not only perpetrated by somebody who’s doing it, but it’s supported by others. And it was incredibly upsetting, and especially having seen that trauma and the emotional toll that it takes on the individual. And this isn’t limited to us make us I mean, this can happen anywhere. But I think that was my first exposure to it, where I’ve seen that happen. And, of course, it happens here in the States I hear about, I mean, this is my area of laws. I mean, I see this happening on a regular basis. But that was my first exposure to it. And it just really triggered something in me where I was, you know, I wanted to help in any way I could I. And I wish I had some sort of power than to do something so they wouldn’t have to go back something. And I felt very hopeless. And I’m very lucky today, because at least in some ways, I am able to help some of those women and men. And it just, it feels amazing being able to do that.
John Corcoran 12:15
And was there a moment in time or an age when you remember thinking, I’m gonna go to law school, and this is the work that I’m going to commit myself to? Or did that come later?
Nav Avloni 12:24
I think it came on pretty early on, I think I knew I knew pretty early on, I think I wanted to do some sort of law, in part because of my grandma, in part because I loved the political debates I had with my family over, over dinner table, you know, you can imagine a clash, a clash of cultures here happening. And so I really enjoy the debates, debating with my family members, I really enjoyed studying about, you know, various legal systems, but I’ve always thought I would, you know, be a human rights attorney, international human rights attorney. But when I had some exposure to working in an international organization and realize how long things take to progress, I just realized my personality, it just, you know, really would, I think thrive in an environment where you can have a much more instant, you know, progress. Area sounds like civil rights, civil law, that that’s perfect.
John Corcoran 13:24
That international human rights work is really measured in like generations.
Nav Avloni 13:28
Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. Very different timeline.
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