Each week on “Your Legal Buzz” our host Tiffany Howard talks to attorneys in the North Florida area about important legal questions. This week Tiffany sat down with Khalil Farah of Farah & Farah.
Khalil Farah is an attorney with Farah & Farah. He was born in Jacksonville, FL and has always considered the city home. He went to the University of Georgia where he studied English Literature and Political Science. While an undergraduate, he also spent a semester studying political and judicial theory at Oxford University, UK.
To learn more, please visit https://farahandfarah.com.
Why did you choose to go into law?: I had the unique opportunity to grow up in a family with two strong and successful attorneys. My father and uncle, Eddie and Chuck Farah, were strong role models and it was their commitment to their clients that inspired me to go into law.
What is your specific field of law?: Personal Injury
How do you set yourself apart from other firms in the area?: Farah & Farah was founded in Jacksonville 40 years ago and our commitment to the First Coast community is unmatched — from providing scholarships to supporting local organizations, such as Rethreaded, we make it our business to serve Jacksonville. Also, the Farah & Farah team is incredibly diverse, reflective of the community we serve. Our team of attorneys speak more than 15 different languages, which proves to be an invaluable asset that allows us to advocate for individuals of various backgrounds. Additionally, we have the talent and financial resources to go head to head with large insurance companies and secure the best results for our clients. Regardless of the potential settlement amount, we assign six staff members, including two attorneys, to each case – three times the industry average.
What do you see as the greatest challenges in your practice?: One of the greatest challenges is the time it takes to get the outcome a client deserves. Sometimes cases can take years of litigation. They can involve various depositions, subpoenas, and etc. Those steps take time, and it’s difficult when you have a client who is seriously injured and cannot work. But sometimes, in order to maximize a client’s recovery you have to take the insurance company to trial.
What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment as an attorney?: It’s the understanding that you can meaningfully change a client’s life. For example- I had a client once who was so close to retirement. She knew exactly how much she needed to save up in order to stop working, but hadn’t reached her number yet. A truck hit her and she needed surgery and couldn’t work. She was so worried she would have to dip into those retirement savings early and have to work years in order to make up for it. We got her a settlement that made up for the time she missed and she was able to keep her target date.
How do you stay connected to your community? Are you involved in any local organizations?: For two years, I served on the board for the Ramallah Club of Jacksonville, where I helped raise much-needed funds for various charities, including feeding the impoverished members of Jacksonville and Duval County.
What advice would you give someone considering going to law school?: Don’t be afraid to start from the bottom. I started my career in law in the mailroom. I worked my way through various roles and departments before ever stepping foot in a courtroom.
