From Kamala Harris, ex-Attorney General of California and currently in the race to become American President, to Preeta Bansal, the first Indian American to argue a case in the Supreme Court and later, Chair the US Commission on International Religious Freedom in the critical aftermath of 9/11, Indian-American women have stood out as legal trailblazers across America. And Shermin Lakha, 29, is a legal trailblazer in her own right.
After graduating from Seattle University School of Law, she crisscrossed through a job at Goldman Sachs, worked for the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, and at an international law firm before taking the ultimate leap into the challenging world of legal startups.
Born in Florida, her parents are immigrants from Karachi, Pakistan. As a 22-year-old, Shermin decided to move to gritty, unforgiving, and tough New York, aiming for sturdier opportunities. A love for being around ambitious people and deriving energy from that environment drove Shermin to the Big Apple. “I wanted to be the best version of myself,” she says.
Lakha started her own practice, LVLUP Legal, this past March, and has already driven her nascent venture to profits. Her work pertains to consulting with small businesses like digital companies, new entrepreneurs, social media influencers, and a wide variety of startups.
So why would a young lawyer climbing the success-ladder to a cushy life suddenly take the plunge into the startup universe? “Even if I got great experiences in my previous roles, I couldn’t connect to the work they were doing, because for me, people are my passion,” says Lakha.
As the founder of a legal startup, she understands the birthing pains of launching her own company, and nurturing it to success. Lakha remains sure to be accessible, with clients phoning her regularly with their questions.
Accessibility is key to succeeding in the new world of law practices. “It’s really rewarding to work with passionate clients. It’s special to work with their personal goals and dreams. I get to help them out,” she says.
Even in her new practice, Lakha works closely with South Asian clients. In doing that, she is not just giving back to the community, but also ascertaining that growth happens organically. “What’s great about working in the community is my business grows from referrals and word-of-mouth,” she says. Lakha believes that the South Asian diaspora is full of strength, perseverance, and potential. But what about the status of Indian-American women in the legal community? Have they been empowered to follow the examples of stalwarts like Kamala Harris and Preeta Bansal?
According to Lakha, “the women are at a transitional point and how we support each other matters.” Growing up, she felt South Asian women would compete with each other. But in New York, a tough and equal playing field ensures that women from the community empower each other. “In New York, we are trying to be our own entrepreneurs—there is a new type of strength in our ideas and businesses. As a female layer, it is great to see these women reach out to me and work with me,” she says.
For Lakha, who has “never been to a country where everybody looks like me,” nor her parents’ native Pakistan, such associations matter—not just for business, but for personal growth too. Among her clients are Indian clothing companies, Indian restaurateurs, wedding planners, and so on. “That’s a really interesting dynamic. South Asians who are in America still utilize our culture to build their businesses. Even for someone like myself, who has never been to that part of the world, being South Asian is part of my American identity,” she says.
