Today we’d like to introduce you to Bobby Abtahi.
Hi Bobby, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am a lawyer by trade, but I have a passion for civic service in my hometown of Dallas.
I started my work in public service in 2008 as a Dallas Assistant City Attorney and was designated as the South Oak Cliff Community Prosecutor. South Oak Cliff was a part of the city that most people who grew up in North Dallas never visited let alone chose to work in. I loved every minute of it, and it really led me to my love of all the various neighborhoods in Dallas.
In early 2017, then Mayor Mike Rawlings asked me to serve as President of the Dallas Park & Recreation Board. I was the youngest person at the time to every serve as President of the Dallas Park Board. The board was established in 1905, and it overseas one of the largest municipal parks systems in the nation with an annual budget of over $100 million. Dallas has over 23,464 acres of parkland, which encompasses 382 parks, 7 lakes, 4,658 surface acres of water, 145 developed trail miles, and over 1200 employees. I stepped down from that volunteer position at the end of 2019.
I’ve always had a passion for both parks and Southern Dallas, which is why I continue to be involved by serving on the boards of the Dallas Zoo, the State Fair of Texas, the Methodist Dallas Hospital Board of Advisors, and the Trust For Public Land, amongst others.
I earned my bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Texas at Austin and my Juris Doctorate from SMU Dedman School of Law. I’ve been published in the field of international law and have written numerous columns for the Dallas Morning News and other publications.
My wife Tiffany and I are both Dallas natives and we have two young children that are our biggest focus.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Obstacles and challenges are tough but in reality, they are an everyday part of life. I often see people that think their life would be better if they didn’t face challenges, but it is those very challenges that shape who we are and allow us to live and learn.
My largest challenge came in 2011 when I had decided that I wanted to work for myself. That was a time in my life where I did not have a family, so I was able to take a little more risk. It was a difficult decision. There were days where I was working much more than I ever had and I was making much less money than I ever had.
In retrospect, it was the right decision for me. I have loved every obstacle we have faced as a boutique law firm and am proud of the fact that we came out of every one of them stronger. COVID was probably the largest business challenge we faced but we used it as an opportunity to fine-tune our systems and embrace technology faster and more efficiently than any of our competitors. That experience led us to a much stronger presence today.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
In July of 2011 I left my job as a Dallas prosecutor and started my own law firm with a mission of helping both individuals and small businesses to navigate tough legal problems.
My practice focuses on entity formation, administrative law, and a small criminal defense portfolio of cases that I find personally interesting.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up.
My favorite childhood memories are those that involve my friends and family. I have lived in Dallas my whole life so lots of those memories include growing up around the Dallas Zoo and the State Fair of Texas. Both of which are organizations that I volunteer with and spend time visiting with my own children every chance we get.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.texasdefenders.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DallasCountyLawyer/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertabtahi/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/bobbyabtahi
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DallasLawyer
- Other: https://www.rbalawyer.com/
Image Credits
Bobby Abtahi
