About Zakiya J.
Zakiya J. McCullough is a partner and co-founder of Norton Basu LLP. She earned her Juris Doctor from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in 2009. The degree set the stage for a legal career based in California, where she is admitted to practice.
After law school she entered private practice in California and, a few years later, helped launch Norton Basu LLP. The firm began in 2014, and McCullough has served as a partner since its founding. Her role combines casework and firm leadership. She manages client matters, oversees litigation strategy, and helps shape firm operations.
McCullough has been active in the professional community since at least 2013. She maintains ties to bar-related and legal organizations that operate in the state, and she takes part in activities that connect the firm's work to broader professional developments. Colleagues describe her as steady and pragmatic; she approaches each file with attention to detail and a willingness to address practical problems.
Through Norton Basu LLP McCullough works out of the firm’s offices in California. Her day-to-day practice involves representing clients across a range of legal situations. That includes courtroom appearances and negotiations at the settlement table. She also handles client counseling and advising on transaction-related matters when those arise.
Her courtroom work is complemented by attention to the business side of cases. McCullough prepares pleadings, develops discovery plans and coordinates with experts when cases require technical input. At the same time she invests time in client communication, aiming to keep people informed about options and likely outcomes. The combination of litigation preparation and client advising shapes how she approaches each matter.
Outside of individual case work, McCullough contributes to the firm’s development and the mentoring of junior lawyers. She participates in internal training and helps newer attorneys learn practical skills for hearings, depositions and client interactions. That mentorship work is part of the broader practice at Norton Basu LLP.
She currently practices law at Norton Basu LLP, representing clients in California in litigation, transactional matters and regulatory issues.
