Sonal Shah to the practice in December 2019. The daughter of Indian immigrants, she was born in Arizona but grew up in Texas before moving to North Carolina where she attended high school, then stayed to complete undergraduate studies and law school at UNC-Chapel Hill, graduating with honors. Although her interest in political science and international relations initially led her to consider international law, she eventually settled on pursuing immigration law. She participated in the Immigration and Human Rights Clinic at her law school, working on immigration pro bono cases, and completed several immigration law internships. After graduation, Sonal was admitted to the bar first in Florida, then in Georgia. She came to Antonini & Cohen after working at two Atlanta-based immigration law firms from 2012 to 2019.
Her affinity for Antonini & Cohen runs deep: Sonal knows partner Nisha Karnani because she attended law school with Nisha’s sister, and she interned with Nisha and Marshall Cohen before the latter and Carolina formed Antonini & Cohen. She acknowledges that Antonini & Cohen’s reputation precedes itself; therefore, when the opportunity arose for her to join the practice, she came on board.
Sonal finds that the people at Antonini & Cohen make the whole experience for her. Not only is everyone open to learning from each other in a wholesome, team-oriented, family-friendly environment, but their collective passion, drive, and ambition to help the community are aligned with Sonal’s own deeply held personal values, rooted in her work serving in underprivileged communities in remote and rural areas of Malawi, South Africa, Thailand, and India.
When she’s not at work, Sonal likes to spend time with her husband and two kids enjoying the outdoors, going to museums, visiting with local family, and traveling internationally. When she is at work, her favorite area restaurant is Lee’s Bakery…for now!