YOUNG LAWYER

Nupur Sidhu Bal

DeFazio Bal
Richmond

Title: Shareholder

Legal specialty: Family law

Birthplace: Punjab, India

Education: Bachelor’s degree, Emory University; law degree, Tulane University Law School

Spouse: Dr. Bikram Bal   

Children: Rajvir Bal, 8

Hobbies or pastimes:  Wine tasting, traveling, snorkeling, interior design

First job as a lawyer:  I practiced family law at a midsize firm in Memphis, Tenn., where I grew up.

Fan of: Washington Redskins; also, whatever sport my son is playing that season — he’s an avid golfer, swimmer and basketball player.

Favorite vacation spot:  My husband, son and I love to travel and take every opportunity to do it when we can.  Our favorite spots are many, but among them are Spain, Greece, Thailand and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Career mentor:  My mother, who is not a lawyer but a practicing physician, has always been an inspiration and role model for me.  Seeing her as an assertive, intelligent woman who managed to navigate well the maze of life, juggling work and family, was always motivating.

What made you decide to become a lawyer? I interned on Capitol Hill for my local congressional representative the summer before my senior year in college.  During my time living in the District, I fell in love with the law and knew I wanted to pursue a legal career.  My college disciplines were psychology and sociology, so family law was the perfect marriage of those fields of study and the law.  It is the only area I’ve ever practiced, and I’m fiercely passionate about it.

What advice do you have for someone considering a legal career?  I think pursuing a career in the law is well suited for those who are looking to use their intelligence, creativity and passion to help people problem-solve.  I have found it to be hugely rewarding, especially in the area of family law, when people often come to you at the worst point in their lives.  I take great pride in attempting to help them navigate the legal waterways and craft a solution that best serves them and their families as they begin their next chapters.