At 33 years of age, Amir Dibaei is the managing partner of the Law Offices of Amir Sam Dibaei—a boutique law firm in west Los Angeles that primarily serves as general counsel to startups, small/medium businesses, athletes, celebrities and other personalities.
Amir was fortunate to have his talents noticed and nurtured even before being licensed as an attorney. When Amir moved to Los Angeles, he was selected for a coveted internship at a real estate management company whose primary clientele were players on the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers.
Once licensed, the company retained Amir as an assistant to its in-house general counsel. It was there that Amir gained what he describes as “more experience than being at a big firm for 10 years. “ The position entailed a very broad range of responsibilities: from dealing with sports agents to litigating against seasoned attorneys, the only job description was to get the job done.
As one could imagine, the position had a lot of benefits but they came with a price: “I was going to the courthouse with NBA players but I would also work 100 hour weeks sometimes. The clerks at the courthouse would poke fun at how tired I looked. But they still remember me so even that was a good thing.”
After two grueling years, Amir made the move to start his own firm. “One time I had to leave a conference with opposing counsel—the mayor of Hermosa Beach –to take a phone call from a player who had just been traded. That’s when I first thought to myself: ‘hey I’m really doing this!’ That gave me the confidence to go out and start my own practice.”
He credits his success to hard work and commitment to his clients’ success but acknowledges that none of this would have been possible had it not been for the help of others. “I am very lucky; some of my classmates have to wait tables just to pay off their student loans.”
After beginning as a solo practitioner, his practice now employs 10 people and has a satellite office in San Francisco. Hard work has paid off; last month, Amir was nominated as a 2017 Super Lawyer Rising Star. This selection is given to the top 2.5% of lawyers in Southern California. By surrounding himself with like-minded professionals, Amir’s focus is to grow his practice and establish a reputable firm people will respect. “Our focus isn’t on billable hours—it’s about getting our name out there. And the only way to do that is by getting our clients results without burning a hole in their pocket. If we keep that as our focus, the money will come. I have no doubt.”