Strategic Legal Insight: A Conversation with Onal Gallant’s Leading Partners
From Legal Innovation to Global Expansion: The Vision and Strategy Behind Onal Gallant’s Success
By Sitki Kazanci
In this exclusive interview, we sit down with the founding partners of Onal Gallant, a law firm with a commanding presence in New York City, New Jersey, and Texas. Specializing in corporate and business law, real estate law, intellectual property, and immigration law, Onal Gallant has become a trusted legal advisor to businesses and individuals alike. The firm’s unique approach combines legal expertise with a deep understanding of client needs, providing holistic solutions that span multiple practice areas.
John S Onal, David F Gallant, and Aaron M Bayram share their insights on the firm’s origins, its strategic geographical presence, and how their diverse team and advanced technology are shaping the future of legal services. They also discuss the importance of early legal intervention, the impact of their partners’ government and big law experience, and their aspirations for the firm’s growth and international expansion. This conversation offers a comprehensive look into how Onal Gallant is not just a law firm, but a forward-thinking partner in its clients’ success.
Could you enlighten us on the origins and founding story of Onal Gallant?
John S Onal: When we started, we realized there were not many Turkish-speaking law firms in the US practicing outside of immigration. Our goal was to cater to both individuals and businesses, addressing all their needs under one roof. We focused on the typical client: a person or businessman who migrated from Türkiye to the US, bringing either their family or business here. These clients needed company formation, trademark services, business agreements, investor visas, real estate assistance, and sometimes litigation support. Importantly, they needed someone who could communicate in their own language.
David F Gallant: We structured our practice areas based on the needs of a person or company wanting to move their business to the US. The primary needs were business law support, immigration assistance, trademark registration, and real estate services. These formed the main foundations of our practice initially. As our clients started doing more business in the US, we added litigation to our services.
With a presence in multiple states, what strategic advantages does this geographical spread offer Onal Gallant? Have you extended your reach internationally, particularly to countries like Türkiye?
John S Onal: Having offices across multiple states has been a game-changer for us. Each state has its own legal quirks, so being on the ground in New York, New Jersey, and Texas allows us to offer more comprehensive services to our clients. About half of our staff and attorneys are non-Turkish, which gives us broader networks in these states and allows us to bring more diverse perspectives to our work.
Aaron M Bayram: Regarding geographical advantage, New Jersey, New York, and Texas are among the top three states densely populated by Turkish Americans and their businesses. These states are also major marketplaces appealing to Turkish exporters and businessmen. Most of the legal needs we address are centered in these three states.
Would you provide an overview of your team’s composition and areas of specialization? What qualities and expertise do you prioritize when recruiting new attorneys?
John S Onal: We have about 15 attorneys and a total of 60 people on the Onal Gallant team. Our areas of expertise include immigration (business, family, immigration litigation, and complex litigation), real estate, intellectual property, commercial litigation, personal injury, and family law. When hiring attorneys, we look for those who not only can do the legal work but can also handle clients well, manage expectations, and have good organizational and communication skills. We have a diverse team, including attorneys from various backgrounds such as Chinese American, Bosnian American, Egyptian American, Indian American, and American American attorneys. Our medium to long-term goal is to replicate what we have done for the Turkish community for other communities through these diverse attorneys.
How does the experience of your partners in US government roles and prestigious law firms influence Onal Gallant’s approach? In what ways does this background enhance the service you provide to clients?
John S Onal: When we identified the needs of our community from a holistic approach, we realized there was a significant need for business transactions expertise and complex immigration litigation support. We have filled these voids by bringing on partners with specific backgrounds. For instance, we have a partner who is a former federal prosecutor who was in charge of defending USCIS and representing USCIS and DHS for numerous years in the New Jersey Federal District. We also have a partner with over 20 years of experience in commercial litigation, and another who has over 10 years of experience in big law.
Aaron M Bayram: Our team consists of professional attorneys who have represented the government at the highest level as well as being involved in legal teams that represented multi-billion-dollar companies in the past. This diverse experience allows us to offer unique insights and strategies to our clients.
Onal Gallant emphasizes a holistic approach in its practice. Could you elaborate on the significance of this methodology and its benefits to your clients?
David F Gallant: The holistic approach of Onal Gallant involves addressing all aspects of a client’s legal needs under one roof. This methodology allows the firm to provide comprehensive services that cover the entire journey of their clients, from immigration to business setup, real estate acquisition, and ongoing legal support. The benefit to clients is that they have a single point of contact for all their legal needs, with attorneys who understand their background and can communicate in their language. This approach ensures continuity and efficiency in legal services, reducing the need for clients to seek multiple law firms for different aspects of their legal requirements.
Considering the recent surge in Turkish immigration to the US, what emerging trends have you observed in business immigration? Which visa categories are currently most sought-after by your Turkish clientele?
David F Gallant: We have observed several trends in business immigration, particularly with Turkish clients. The E-2 visa is very popular and suitable for small, mid-size, and big investors. We are also seeing increased interest from academics in green cards, particularly those available for individuals with extraordinary abilities. Professors from Türkiye often qualify for these types of visas. Additionally, people who have achieved significant success in media, sports, or entertainment can qualify for these green cards.
Another trend we are noticing is that Turkish companies are starting to open new branches in the US. This has led to an increase in L-1 Visa applications, which allow companies to transfer managers, specialty employees, technicians, and engineers to their US operations.
Your firm assists foreign investors and startups in establishing and expanding their US operations. What are the primary challenges these clients encounter, and how does Onal Gallant address these issues?
David F Gallant: The biggest challenge we see is adaptation. The business environment in the US is very different from Europe and Türkiye, and it takes time for our clients to adapt. Even if a company has a significant presence in Türkiye, it is often not enough when they are trying to establish themselves here. They face difficulties in areas like leasing property or securing financing from lenders.
We help address these issues in several ways. First, because of our diverse practice areas, we understand these struggles comprehensively and can prepare our clients for these challenges from the beginning. We also help give a strong impression to US counterparts by providing clear communication and explanation of all potential challenges. Our ability to bridge the gap between Turkish and American business cultures is a significant asset in helping our clients navigate these challenges.
We have noticed that your website features an AI assistant offering round-the-clock support. In what other ways is Onal Gallant harnessing advanced technology to enhance client services?
Aaron M Bayram: Technology is a big focus for us. Beyond our AI assistant, we have implemented secure client portals and we are using data analytics to provide more accurate estimates and timelines. It is all about increasing transparency and efficiency in how we serve our clients. Our AI tool allows clients to get instant answers to most of their questions without having to talk to someone in person, which fills a gap in the legal industry where it is often difficult to get quick access to simple questions.
John S Onal: We are constantly training our AI, though we always include a disclaimer that it is not legal advice.
Could you discuss the importance of engaging legal counsel at the earliest stages of a potential issue? We understand that Onal
Gallant has developed an app to facilitate access to legal services. How does this initiative address the need for prompt legal intervention, and what benefits does it offer to clients?
John S Onal: In America, engaging legal counsel early is crucial—it is like preventative healthcare for your business. If your contracts are drafted correctly from the start, you are already three steps ahead if a potential legal issue arises. One of our biggest priorities is ensuring clients can reach us quickly. Our attorneys answer calls at night and on weekends, even when our offices are closed.
To enhance this accessibility, we are creating an app where clients can get faster access to basic legal information. Through the app, they can securely message our team, easily schedule consultations, and ask our AI about any questions they might have. This allows clients to get answers at the first sign of a potential issue, potentially preventing small problems from becoming large ones.
Looking ahead, what are Onal Gallant’s aspirations for growth and expansion? How do you envision the firm’s evolution over the next few years? Are there emerging areas of law that you are considering as potential new practice areas?
John S Onal: Our goal for the next five years is to become a 50-attorney law firm. We are expanding aggressively, looking into opening new offices in new markets, as well as adding a few other practice areas. About a year ago, we added personal injury to our services, and we are continuing to grow in that area.
David F. Gallant: We have had a presence in Texas since 2019, and we want to expand our presence there. We are also planning to open a new office in Virginia within the next two years.
John S Onal: We are also considering an office in California to better serve our West Coast clients.
Aaron M Bayram: We are dedicated to recruiting young talent and fostering strategic partnerships worldwide. This will propel our firm’s vision of serving multinational corporations. The first step toward this goal is on the horizon, and our international office will be in Istanbul.
LOCATIONS
New York
449 Bay Ridge Avenue
Brooklyn NY 11220
Phone: (718) 814-9898
New Jersey – 1
619 River Drive Suite 340
Elmwood Park, NJ 07407
Phone: (201) 508-0808
New Jersey – 2
583 Anderson Avenue
Cliffside Park, NJ 07010
Phone: (201) 508-0808
Texas
800 Bonaventure Way Ste 120
Sugar Land, TX 77479
Phone: (281) 909-4030
