Regina Narkolayeva
has never been afraid of a challenge. In fact, the greater the obstacle, the
more determined she seems to become.
An accomplished
attorney, entrepreneur, mother of three, and natural leader, Regina has built
her career by continually pushing herself beyond what is comfortable or
expected. Her path to becoming an attorney was not traditional, but perhaps
that is what makes her journey so inspiring.
A graduate of St. John’s University, Regina began her legal
career as a paralegal and quickly advanced into management, client relations,
and legal operations. Always focused on the bigger picture – how to improve,
lead, and grow – she eventually pursued her law degree at Touro Law Center.
Regina never put her career or family on hold. Throughout
law school, she worked full time as a manager at the practice she helped build,
while raising her boys and
being a devoted wife to her husband, Jacob. Her days were devoted to
work and family; her nights and every available moment were dedicated to studying.
After graduating, Regina continued managing the firm while
preparing for the bar exam, studying day and night. She passed on her first
attempt to years of discipline, sacrifice, and persistence. For Regina,
becoming an attorney was never simply about earning a title; it was about
proving that life’s circumstances do not have to define the limits of your
ambition.
Today, she is an attorney specializing in no-fault
collections and arbitration, representing medical providers whose insurance
claims have been denied or remain unpaid, as well as individuals injured in car
accidents. With years of experience in these specialized areas and an
unwavering commitment to her clients, Regina has built a loyal clientele and a
thriving practice that has grown largely through word of mouth.
For Regina, becoming an attorney was only one part of the
dream. Becoming a business owner was the next.
She built her own practice using the experience she gained
over years in the legal industry, combining her knowledge of the field with the
leadership and management skills that had always come naturally to her. The
practice she once helped manage is now the practice she helps lead as a partner
– a full-circle accomplishment that reflects years of growing alongside the
business itself. Her practice has since expanded into New Jersey, and she
continues to look toward new opportunities and future growth.
But ambition is only part of what drives Regina. At her core, she genuinely wants to do good with people. Whether it is a client, employee, friend, or family member, she finds fulfillment in helping make someone’s life better. For Regina, success is far more meaningful when it can be shared.
That quality also shapes the way she leads. Regina believes
strength and kindness are not opposites. She can be fiercely protective and
determined while caring deeply about those around her. Behind her confidence is
someone who values relationships and genuinely wants to see the people she
cares about succeed.
Professional achievement, however, is only one part of
Regina’s life. She is a devoted wife and mother of three sons, balancing the
demands of a growing practice with family life.
Besides her throughout much of that journey has been her
husband, Jacob. Their life together has been built around the family they
created and the three boys they are raising. Through law school, the bar exam,
building a business, motherhood, and each new stage of life, Jacob has remained
an important part of Regina’s foundation.
That balance has not always been easy. Regina speaks openly
about “mom guilt” and the challenge of wanting to give 100 percent to both her
children and her career. But a serious medical emergency following the birth of
her youngest son profoundly changed her perspective. It gave her a deeper appreciation
for life, faith, and being present. It reminded her that there will always be
another goal to reach but tomorrow is never promised.
Today, Regina is learning to let go of the need to control
everything, take better care of herself, and appreciate the life happening
around her – not just the one she is constantly planning for.
Naturally Type A, Regina had always been someone who planned
everything, stayed several steps ahead, and found comfort in knowing that
things were taken care of. Coming so close to losing her life forced her to
confront something she could never plan or control. She realized that no matter
how carefully we map out our lives, ultimately, God has the final say.
There is also an artistic side to Regina. Coming from a
musical family, she has been singing since childhood. She was accepted into
LaGuardia High School’s vocal program and has performed and participated in
singing competitions throughout her life. Although she chose law as her
profession, she never gave up music; singing remains an important part of who
she is.
Regina’s greatest quality may be her refusal to accept
limitations. Whether navigating the legal world, building her business, raising
her sons, nurturing her marriage, helping others, or pursuing personal passions,
she approaches life with energy, confidence, and determination.
Her message is straightforward: if you have a goal, do not
let fear, timing, or circumstances convince you it is impossible. There may
never be a perfect time. Regina pursued law school while working full time,
managing a law practice, raising her children, and maintaining her marriage.
As important as it is to build a life you are proud of,
Regina believes there is something even more rewarding about lifting others
along the way.
Regina did not follow a perfectly planned path. She created her own – and continues to move forward.
– What keeps you moving forward when life gets difficult?
– My family. Always. When you become responsible for other
people, especially your children, giving up stops feeling like an option. I’ve
had moments when I’ve been exhausted, scared, angry, and overwhelmed, but I’m
very solution oriented. I may fall apart for a minute, but then something in me
says, «Okay, what are we doing next?»
I think that’s how I’ve survived a lot of things. I keep
moving. Sometimes strength doesn’t feel strong. Sometimes it’s simply refusing
to stay down.
– What has a mother taught you about strength?
– Motherhood completely changed my definition of strength.
Before children, I probably thought strength meant being independent,
successful, fearless, and in control. Motherhood taught me that strength is
also vulnerability. It’s loving someone so much that suddenly your heart is
walking around outside your body.
Being a mother has made me softer and stronger at the same
time. There is almost nothing I wouldn’t endure for my children. They’ve also
taught me that success means very little if I’m not present for people, I’m
working so hard for in the first place.
– What did your near-death experience teach you?
– It changed my relationship with life. When you come close
to losing your life, all the things that once seemed enormous suddenly become
very small. The arguments, other people’s opinions, the pressure we put on
ourselves – none of that is what matters when you’re confronted with the
possibility that you may not get another tomorrow.
It taught me how fragile life really is. I don’t always live
perfectly by that lesson. I still get upset, I still overthink, and sometimes I
still care more than I should. But somewhere inside me, I know how precious it
is simply to be here. I was given another chance at life, and I never want to
forget that.
– Who is Regina when she is not an attorney?
– I think this is the side of me people misunderstand the
most. Professionally, I’m very assertive. I’m competitive, decisive, and I
don’t get scared easily. But that’s only one part of me.
Outside of being an attorney, I’m a wife, a mother, a
daughter, a sister, and a friend. I love bringing people together. I love
traveling, having beautiful experiences, laughing, celebrating, and creating
memories with the people I love.
And despite the confidence people see, I’m extremely
sensitive. I feel things deeply. I care deeply. The attorney in me knows how to
fight, but the woman underneath all of that has a very big heart.
– What is something about you that people would be
surprised to discover?
– Probably how sensitive I actually am. People see someone
outspoken, successful, and confident, and they assume that nothing gets to me.
That couldn’t be further from the truth.
I can walk into a courtroom or a difficult negotiation and
be completely fearless, but something said by someone I love can stay with me
for days. People sometimes confuse strength with not having feelings. For me,
it’s almost the opposite. I feel everything – I’ve just learned how to keep
going anyway.
– What is the quote you live by – or would like to live
by?
– «I’ve walked through fires that were supposed to destroy
me. Instead, they introduced me to the woman I was meant to become. Like a
phoenix, I rise from every fire changed, stronger, but never defeated.»
That quote represents so much of how I see my life. I don’t
believe surviving something means you come out as the same person you were
before it. Some experiences change you forever.
But change doesn’t have to mean something breaks you.
Sometimes fire is exactly what reveals your strength. I’ve been knocked down,
I’ve been tested, and I’ve had moments that completely changed me. But every
time, I’ve risen. Maybe a little different, maybe a little wiser – but never
defeated.
Interview by Zoya Aminov
