AALM: Tell us how you began your journey as a legal professional and what inspired you to co-found your law firm?
NN: My path started where it mattered most—serving kids through Legal Aid where justice was about ensuring children had access to healthcare, education and safe homes. Later, I held in-house counsel and teaching roles at public universities and independent schools. Over time, I saw the same challenges playing out for small businesses and purpose-driven organizations. I knew there had to be a better way to deliver legal support—accessible, values-based, and grounded in community. That spark grew into Nazareth Bonifacino Law when business and intellectual property attorney Ginny Bonifacino and I teamed up with a shared passion for our respective legal careers: to be a force for good.
Through Nazareth Bonifacino Law, we provide affordable legal services to purpose-driven businesses and underserved entrepreneurs, including BIPOC, immigrant, women, and service-disabled veteran business owners, with a focus on helping them navigate their critical first five years of operation. This not only provides them with sophisticated legal services they often otherwise might not afford, but also empowers them to grow and succeed in their own goals.
AALM: What does it mean to be a Certified B Corporation, and how does this certification reflect your mission while setting your approach apart from traditional law firms?
NN: Being a B Corp isn’t about checking a box; it’s about walking the talk. Achieving this certification was a significant and pivotal moment in our journey. Our firm doesn’t just serve the law—we serve people, the planet, and, yes, profit. It represents and validates our commitment to operate ethically and transparently, meeting high standards for social and environmental impact.
Traditional firms measure success in billable hours. We measure it in how many entrepreneurs we empower, how many nonprofits we strengthen, and how much positive change we drive. Providing legal counsel that helps create lasting, positive change not only inspires us, but also sets us apart.
AALM: What inspired you to focus on supporting purpose-driven businesses, schools, and nonprofits?
NN: My passion is to contribute to a more just and equitable world, and I’ve long believed the law can be a tool to do that. A tool for justice, not just compliance. Schools, nonprofits, and mission-driven businesses are building solutions for a better world—but they often don’t get the legal support they deserve. Ginny and I stand with our clients, providing the legal advice that they need to thrive, counsel that considers their broader missions and values. It’s about seeing law not as a hurdle, but as a foundation for real, meaningful social, economic, and environmental change.
AALM: How has your mediation experience shaped your approach to resolving client disputes in private practice?
NN: My role as senior mediator for North Carolina state government and universities has provided me tremendous experience and insight into how to bring a balanced, strategic approach to solving disputes with empathy.
Mediation teaches you to listen first and problem-solve second. It’s about generating multiple solutions and finding common ground in the most unlikely places. That’s how I approach disputes in practice: with optimism, clarity and a steady hand.
Doing that helps clients navigate conflict in a way that creates a sense of autonomy, preserves relationships, minimizes harm, and gets them back to their bigger “why.” And there is always a creative solution to find and implement so they can do just that.
AALM: As a former adjunct law professor and continuing education instructor, what’s the most valuable lesson you impart to students or colleagues?
NN: I love teaching for these two reasons: it keeps me connected to why I choose to do this work, and it helps me pay it forward by assisting aspiring, future lawyers and my peers. My style begins with the why, and I tell students and colleagues the same thing – know why you’re here. That’s because it’s not all about mastering legalese or winning arguments. It’s about using your skills to solve problems, create change, and leave the world better than you found it.
In my experience, keeping my why as my North Star has made the work fulfilling. And when you like what you do, it naturally follows that you become very good (even great) at it.
AALM: How has the pandemic changed the way lawyers support small businesses and nonprofits?
NN: The pandemic taught us that small businesses and nonprofits are resilient, AND they need legal partners who are just as agile. Lawyers went from reactive to proactive service, helping organizations adapt in real time and pioneer solutions in the midst of some very new and complex challenges.
Ginny and I relish that kind of work! That’s because we get to roll up our sleeves, do our best thinking, finesse innovative resolutions, and provide actionable guidance that keeps our clients operational and thriving.
AALM: With your leadership roles in bar and legal organizations, what impact do you hope to have on the legal profession and its future direction?
NN: I want my work and legacy to be a catalyst for the law becoming a more fulfilling profession. Just like the world of work in general has shifted since the pandemic, we have an opportunity to reframe a life in the law. Wouldn’t it be amazing if tomorrow’s lawyers could expect their chosen practices to be about joyful, intellectual collaborations that are inclusive, innovative, and transformative? From young lawyers to those nearing retirement, we all deserve to recapture our well-being while also excelling as professionals.
Lawyers can do so much more than resolve disputes; we can be planners, problem-solvers, connectors, and advocates for fairness and systemic change. We are guardians of justice and the rule of law, which is a fundamental underpinning of our democratic society. I hope my work inspires the next generation of lawyers to ask, “How can we do this better? How can we serve more people? How can we improve others’ lives for the better?” That’s where the real impact lies.
AALM: How does receiving the American Bar Association’s Solo and Small Firm Lifetime Achievement Award reflect the values and contributions you’ve prioritized throughout your career?
NN: It is a career highlight, and I am deeply grateful to have received it. The recipient of the award is identified by their peers. It is humbling that my peers think of me as one who epitomizes the values and standards of the legal profession. From my perspective, it recognizes and validates a career spent staying true to my values: putting people first, empowering clients, and lifting up the small but mighty businesses that shape our communities. That brings me tremendous pride and satisfaction. Ultimately, however, it’s not about me. It is about what is possible when lawyers think of themselves and their work as partners in driving meaningful change.
AALM: What are your goals for the next five years in terms of growth, impact and innovation?
NN: We’re just getting started. Over the next five years, I want our firm to become the go-to legal partner for purpose-driven businesses and nonprofits in the mid-Atlantic. We’ll grow thoughtfully, expand our reach, and keep innovating to make legal support even more accessible. At the same time, we will foster a community-centered approach to law, helping businesses that do good for the world thrive and prosper.
For more information, visit dmvbusinesslawyers.com.
