About Begum Pelaez-Prada Business Law · San Antonio
Begum Pelaez-Prada Business Law is a woman- and minority-owned business and estate planning law firm headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, founded in 2014 by managing partner Sasha Begum. The firm serves businesses (typically in the $2M–$10M range) as well as families and individuals, providing corporate, transactional, international, and estate planning counsel. Its mission is to deliver big-firm caliber legal expertise with personal attention, flexibility, and reasonable rates, and the team conducts business fluently in both English and Spanish.
Begum Peláez-Prada, PLLC is a San Antonio-based boutique law practice led by Managing Partners Sasha Begum and Juanita Peláez-Prada, with Associate Attorney Melody Nikmaram on the team. The firm was founded in 2014 by Sasha Begum, an attorney admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 2006, who previously practiced at Bracewell LLP and Baker & McKenzie's Major Projects group and served as Associate General Counsel for Cardtronics Inc. (NASDAQ: CATM). The firm advises publicly traded companies, multinational clients, family-owned businesses, startups, and emerging companies on business formations, contracts, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructuring, and international transactions, alongside an estate planning practice covering wills, trusts, probate, powers of attorney, advance healthcare directives, special needs planning, and family office services. Both managing partners have been recognized by the San Antonio Business Journal's 40 Under 40, and Sasha Begum has been recognized by SA Seen Magazine's Best Of and named a Super Lawyers Rising Star. Juanita Peláez-Prada serves as Chairman of the Board of CASA (Child Advocates of San Antonio). The firm identifies as a woman- and minority-owned law firm and emphasizes diversity, equity, and inclusion within the legal profession.
- In business
- Founded in 2014 by Sasha Begum; firm operated since 2016 per LinkedIn
- Owner
- Sasha Begum (Founder & CEO / Managing Partner); Juanita Peláez-Prada (Managing Partner); Melody Nikmaram (Associate Attorney)
- Serves
- San Antonio, Texas and surrounding South/Central Texas communities; cross-border / international transactions
About Begum Pelaez-Prada Business Law
Begum Peláez-Prada, PLLC is a San Antonio business and estate planning law firm whose stated mission is to deliver big-firm caliber legal expertise with the personal attention, flexibility, and more reasonable rates of a smaller practice. The firm works with a diverse client base ranging from publicly traded companies to local family-operated businesses, and it drafts agreements and negotiates seamlessly in both English and Spanish. Core values include integrity, continuous learning, and a commitment to excellence, with a stated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal profession.
- Woman- and minority-owned law firm
- Bilingual English/Spanish services
- Mission: big-firm expertise at more accessible rates
- Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas
Meet the Attorneys
The firm is led by two managing partners, Sasha Begum and Juanita Peláez-Prada, with Associate Attorney Melody Nikmaram also on the team. Both managing partners were honored in the San Antonio Business Journal's 40 Under 40 in 2018.
- Sasha Begum — Managing Partner; Business & International Law
- Juanita Peláez-Prada — Managing Partner; Business Law & Estate Planning
- Melody Nikmaram — Associate Attorney
- Fluent/native in English and Spanish
Sasha Begum — Managing Partner
Admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 2006, Sasha Begum brings nearly two decades of experience in business and international law. She advises clients ranging from multinational corporations to emerging startups on complex domestic and cross-border transactions, corporate governance, and strategic risk management. She began her legal career at Bracewell LLP's Houston office in the Real Estate, Infrastructure, and Oil & Gas group, then joined Baker & McKenzie's Major Projects practice, and later served as Associate General Counsel for Cardtronics Inc. (NASDAQ: CATM) for six years. In 2014 she founded her own firm in San Antonio. She holds a B.A. from Tufts University (Philosophy and Psychology, 2002), a J.D. from American University Washington College of Law (2005), and a J.D. equivalent (Licenciatura en Derecho) from Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio in Madrid (2006), and is fluent in English and Spanish.
- Texas Bar Card No. 24055159 (licensed 11/03/2006)
- B.A. Tufts University 2002
- J.D. American University, Washington College of Law 2005
- J.D. equivalent, Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio, Madrid 2006
- Former Bracewell LLP (Houston)
- Former Baker & McKenzie, Major Projects practice
- Former Associate General Counsel, Cardtronics Inc. (NASDAQ: CATM)
- Founded her firm in San Antonio in 2014
- Harvard Law School Program on Negotiation
Juanita Peláez-Prada — Managing Partner
Juanita Peláez-Prada has extensive experience in business law and estate planning, and is a passionate advocate for clients seeking to secure their futures through strategic business and estate plans. She graduated from St. Mary's University School of Law in 2008, is fluent/native in Spanish and English, and was recognized in 2018 by the San Antonio Business Journal's 40 Under 40.
- J.D., St. Mary's University School of Law, 2008
- Chairman of the Board, CASA (Child Advocates of San Antonio)
- Recognized in 2018 by San Antonio Business Journal 40 Under 40
- Practice focus: business law and estate planning
Practice Areas — Business Law
The firm's business law practice is built to support growing companies, especially those in the $2M–$10M range without in-house counsel but with complex legal needs. Services span the full life cycle of a business, from formation through dissolution, and include corporate governance, transactions, and cross-border deals.
- Business Formations
- Contracts
- Corporate Law / Corporate Governance & Compliance
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Corporate Restructuring
- International Business Transactions
- Business Dissolution
- Business Succession Planning
- Limited Liability Company Formation
- Partnership Agreements
- Legal Planning for Business Expansion
Practice Areas — Estate Planning
The firm's estate planning practice helps individuals and families — including business owners — draft wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and other documents to ensure that final wishes are honored and that surviving loved ones are spared unintended consequences. The firm emphasizes that failing to plan can leave Texas intestacy statutes to dictate outcomes. Documents handled include living wills (advance healthcare directives), financial and medical powers of attorney, revocable and irrevocable trusts, special needs planning, and asset protection strategies. The firm also handles probate matters.
- Wills
- Trusts (revocable and irrevocable)
- Probate
- Financial Power of Attorney
- Medical Power of Attorney
- Living Will / Advance Healthcare Directive
- Special Needs Planning
- Asset Protection
- Wills for Parents of Minors
- Establishing Trustees
- Family Trusts
- Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust
Family Office Services
The firm offers a dedicated Family Office practice to address the multi-generational planning, governance, and wealth-preservation needs of family-owned enterprises and high-net-worth individuals.
- Family office counsel integrated with business and estate planning
Office Location, Hours & Contact
The firm is located on Interstate 10 in San Antonio and offers consultation in both English and Spanish. Phone numbers listed on the firm site include (281) 984-4846; the Texas Bar directory and LinkedIn list (210) 780-6022 for the practice at 5511 I-10 Suite 3, San Antonio, TX 78201.
- Address: 5511 I-10 Suite 3, San Antonio, TX 78201
- Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00am–5:00pm (closed Saturday and Sunday)
- Phone: (281) 984-4846 (firm site); (210) 780-6022 (LinkedIn / Texas Bar)
- Services offered in English and Spanish
Professional Recognition & Community Involvement
Both managing partners have been recognized in the San Antonio Business Journal's 40 Under 40 (2018), and Sasha Begum has been recognized by SA Seen Magazine's Best Of and as a Super Lawyers Rising Star. Sasha Begum serves on the American Heart Association Board, the World Affairs Council Board, and the Texas Minority Counsel Program Steering Committee at the Texas State Bar. Juanita Peláez-Prada serves as Chairman of the Board of CASA (Child Advocates of San Antonio), an organization dedicated to helping neglected and abused children.
- San Antonio Business Journal 40 Under 40 — Sasha Begum & Juanita Peláez-Prada (2018)
- SA Seen Magazine Best Of — Sasha Begum
- Super Lawyers Rising Stars
- American Bar Association member
- Texas Minority Counsel Program Steering Committee — Sasha Begum
- Board Member, American Heart Association — Sasha Begum
- Board Member, World Affairs Council — Sasha Begum
- Chairman of the Board, CASA (Child Advocates of San Antonio) — Juanita Peláez-Prada