Raised in Moorpark, California, Ali began his career in criminal law by interning with the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office during the summer after his first year of law school. Following law school, Ali had a brief stint as a Deputy District Attorney for the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office (Louisiana), and then moved back to California where he served as a Deputy City Attorney for the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office for 12 years. During those 12 years, Ali handled all stages of criminal prosecution, from filing through trials to post-conviction. While with the City Attorney’s Office, Ali spent time in both the Gang Unit as well as the Neighborhood Prosecution Program, which was designed to resolve quality-of-life issues. In these capacities, Ali trained police on law enforcement procedure and techniques. Ali also spent years as a calendar deputy with the office, handling a wide variety of cases, and establishing the relationships that serve him well as a defense attorney.