In the dynamic world of corporate law, where billable hours often reign supreme, Kelly Bagla stands out as a trailblazer. With over 20 years of experience in business law, she has disrupted the traditional billing model by offering clients a flat fee structure. This innovative approach has not only simplified legal processes but also garnered her international acclaim.
Based in San Diego, California, Kelly’s commitment to transparency and efficiency has transformed the way legal services are delivered. Her clients benefit from predictable costs and a streamlined experience, setting her apart from her peers. Her passion for simplifying business law has left an indelible mark.
Beyond her legal prowess, Kelly wears many hats: entrepreneur, bestselling author, inventor, and host of the top-ranked business law podcast, Go Legal Yourself! ®.
As a prolific author, Kelly has penned five entrepreneurship books, sharing her insights with a global audience. Her expertise has been featured in respected publications such as Business View, Investors Digest, and the California Business Journal. Awards have followed suit, including: Winner of Top 50 Women of Influence in Law, Winner of Top 100 leaders in Law, 2023 Winner of the Global Law Experts Business Law Firm of the Year in California. And AI Acquisition International Winner of the 2023 Leading Adviser Awards.
The Start
Kelly’s journey began as a first-generation immigrant in America, fueled by a childhood dream of becoming a lawyer. She shattered barriers to become the first attorney in her family. Kelly was born and raised in England. After coming to the States, she earned multiple degrees in business and law.
Seeing her father migrate from India to England, where he worked hard to eventually own the business gave her special appreciation for entrepreneurs and attracted her to the business side of things. But her true calling remained the law.
After completing her legal education in Northern California and passing the bar, she honed her skills at the esteemed Baker McKenzie LLP, advising national and international clients. Joining Baker & McKenzie in San Diego marked her arrival in the vibrant city, which she now considers home. She considers it an honor and privilege to have worked for the largest international law firm globally at the time.
In 2009, Kelly founded the Bagla Law Firm, APC, specializing in business formation and asset protection. But her impact extends beyond legal practice.
“I came to the U.S. as an immigrant seeking the American Dream. I’ve gone on to form my own law firm, Bagla Law Firm, APC, and to establish multiple business enterprises, truly creating the life of my dreams. I’ve made it my passion to help other entrepreneurs reach their own American Dreams, not only through my legal practice, but also through my online legal forms company, my business coaching company, professional speaking, and media appearances. In addition, I’ve written five books, all focused on helping business owners pursue their dreams,” says Kelly about her journey.
Redefining the Industry
Bringing a fresh approach to everything she does seems to be Kelly’s mission! She introduced flat-rate fees to make her legal services more accessible to startup companies. Most law firms charge “billable hours,” famously epitomized by Clancy’s book and movie, “The Firm.” Business owners have no way to budget their legal costs, often getting hit with massive “surprise” invoices after the services are completed. At Kelly’s firm, her team understands an entrepreneur needs to know ahead of time what they will be charged.
Another fresh legal idea Kelly instituted is her online Do-It-Yourself legal forms company, Go Legal Yourself!® (www.golegalourself.com) She appreciates that many startups can’t afford to hire an attorney. Go Legal Yourself!® provides business owners with the right legal tools to start and grow their businesses at a fraction of the price that traditional law firms would charge. This eliminates the hassle and worry of searching for documents online. In addition, they receive attorney-assisted guidance.
“In my mission to help business owners pursue their American Dreams, I also formed a 360° coaching company. The coaching provided by experts in their fields is not limited to master business classes, but includes mind-body training for all-around success,” says Kelly.
The Firm
Bagla Law Firm, APC is an award-winning law firm, specializing in business formation, asset protection, and a full boutique of legal services for businesses. The firm has become a leading expert in helping foreign-based companies enter the U.S. Market.
As a business attorney who is also an entrepreneur, Kelly understands the needs of business owners. She has both the proven business experience and legal expertise to ensure their assets are protected. This dual expertise makes her unique in her field.
She also chooses to stand out from the crowd in every respect, from her bold approach to her client care and personal style. “I dare to be noticed in a sea of grey and black lawyer suits. And I wear my title “Queen of Business Law®” with pride! I am great at what I do. I have a passion for doing it. And I want to be remembered when a business owner is looking for an attorney. I try to exemplify a quote from the Guru Granth Sahib, in the Sikh Bible. “Why blend in when you were born to stand out?”,” shares Kelly.
Kelly prioritizes client satisfaction through her customer-centric approach. Drawing inspiration from chess, she views her role as the Queen—guarding the King at every turn, providing tactical protection and maneuvers for business success. Kelly fosters loyal relationships with clients, peers, and her team, leveraging referrals to thrive. Her network includes trusted connections with Business Litigators, Immigration Lawyers, IP Attorneys, and diverse business professionals
Wearing Multiple Hats
Kelly continues to exert every effort to connect with entrepreneurs, ensuring they recognize that they needn’t expend tens of thousands of dollars and countless hours to establish their businesses and safeguard their livelihoods. Her initiatives include authoring the best-selling book Go Legal Yourself!®, participating in interviews, maintaining high visibility, and proactively marketing the revolutionary online services offered by Go Legal Yourself.com. As a result of these endeavors, Kelly has earned recognition as winner of the Lawyers of Distinction for three consecutive years.
As an entrepreneur, she has been honored as the Business Woman of the Year by the San Diego Business Journal and her entrepreneurial journey has graced the covers of numerous publications.
Additionally, she contributes articles to both San Diego Veterans magazine and Homeland magazine. Her engaging speaking engagements span diverse audiences, including events like Start Grind powered by Google and the Veterans in Business Network. Furthermore, she hosts the podcast Go Legal Yourself!®, featuring insightful interviews with like-minded entrepreneurs.
Kelly’s latest venture is Pitbulls ‘n Pearls®, a business coaching company catering to individuals who are passionate about life and serious about business. At Pitbulls ‘n Pearls®, participants not only learn how to kickstart their dream businesses but receive expert guidance on personal growth, positive mindset training, and building confidence. It’s a holistic approach to mastering both professional and personal aspects of life.
Looking at her full schedule, we asked how she manages to handle it all without breaking a sweat, “I don’t require much sleep and I start every day with exercise, which gives me energy. I’m willing to work long and hard. These are all essential in helping me wear so many hats. But most importantly, I have the right team around me to help me brainstorm, manage, execute, and organize my businesses. Being able to trust my team and delegate makes it all possible. And my husband, Brent, is my most trusted, wise advisor in business and personal life.”
The Challenges in the Industry
Speaking of challenges and potential solutions, Kelly shares that The Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020, which is part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 and includes the Corporate Transparency Act, became law on January 1, 2021. The Corporate Transparency Act requires certain business entities to file, in the absence of an exemption, information on their “beneficial owners” with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) of the U.S. Department of Treasury.
Supporters insist that this law is for our good, protecting the country from money launderers. Kelly believes it is just another tactic of the government to infringe on our privacy. The act requires business owners to register and disclose each owner. Corporate structures are in place to protect business owners from being personally liable. In her legal opinion, this law opens the door to exposing entrepreneurs to great loss. “We already have laws on the books that cover anti-money laundering. I see no good purpose for this intrusive law,” she says.
Always Prepared for Continuous Growth
Kelly is an avid reader, devouring between 60 and 75 books a year. She makes it her practice to study media and publications on business news, leadership, strategy, and mindset to stay abreast of best practices, trends, and the changing business climate.
Staying updated on the latest legal developments and industry best practices is a continual process. She belongs to multiple legal associations and of course, completes the required CLE (Continuing Legal Education) credit hours each year. She stays current with several legal periodicals and often researches specific legal cases and new laws that affect her clients.
Maintaining Well-being and Happiness
Kelly admits that her temperament was made for the kind of high-pressure, fast-paced, exciting life of a multiple entrepreneur and practicing attorney. The word, “stress” does not often cross her mind. She loves a thrill and a challenge.
Kelly often sees her clients in stress (and distress), and thrives in the role of helping them through it. She doesn’t approach their emotions as a therapist. Her job is to provide solutions! When clients see there is a way through their crisis, their stress level is reduced.
“Even though I thrive on all the excitement, I recognize that I need times of refreshment and calm. Brent and I talk through all of our latest pressures and challenges. Together, we problem-solve and find creative solutions. Spending time with him is a priority each day. Our favorite time is relaxing with our dogs, “the girls” where we soak in the happy and refresh our perspective,” she says.
For the Society
Kelly stands as a steadfast advocate for veterans, collaborating closely with the Veterans Chamber of Commerce to offer business and legal guidance to veterans within the San Diego community. Her husband’s service in the Marines holds immense significance to her, and she deeply appreciates the sacrifices made by all veterans for the country she now proudly calls home.
Kelly, a devoted dog lover, shares her home with three furry companions and her commitment to canine welfare extends beyond her own household. Her passion for ensuring every dog finds a loving family drives her to actively support Last Chance At Life, an all-breed rescue and adoption organization. This compassionate group focuses on aiding animals in San Diego County, including Boxers, birds, and other dogs requiring medical care. When resources permit, they extend their reach beyond the county borders.
Kelly also regularly donates to and supports Thrive Animal Rescue. Thrive is a no-kill shelter that cares for dogs until they are adopted. Thrive provides medical care, nutrition needs, and general support for these loving animals. In adopting from Thrive, suitability is important to them which is why they go to great lengths to find their dogs the perfect match.
Words of Wisdom
“Grab Life by the Pearls! It’s yours for the taking”
Kelly concludes our interaction with the following advice for young entrepreneurs:
“America is still the land of opportunity. Find your passion. Learn everything you can about your field. Get experience and training. I am a multi-degreed attorney. In other words, I not only have law degrees, but I also have business degrees. This was indispensable to my becoming an attorney and CEO of multiple companies. The time I spent on the job at the world’s largest law firm was equally important. Learning from world-class attorneys as I began practicing law taught me as much as I learned in law school. Get on-the-job experience in your industry. Don’t be in a hurry to launch your business. Be prepared, get your ducks in a row, and when you’re ready — go after your own American dream!”
“I believe it takes and entrepreneur to understand the needs of an entrepreneur.”