The 2012 Board of Directors will be announced on December 19, 2011.  Please note that voting is restricted to members of SABA-DC.  If you would like to join or renew your membership, please visit our website here.  

Elected Positions:

President
Executive Vice-President
Vice-President of Programming
Vice-President of Communications
Vice-President of Finance
Newsletter Editor-in-Chief
Secretary
General Directors (6)

Committees - Positions Appointed by Board of Directors
Endorsements Committee
Mentorship Committee
Public Interest Committee
Fundraising Committee

*President*
The President shall serve as the executive head of the Board of Directors and shall preside over its meetings.  The President shall have authority to exercise any and all of the powers of the board in emergency situations in which a quorum of directors cannot reasonably be convened, but only until such time as a quorum can reasonably be convened.  The President shall have the authority to represent the Corporation at all meetings of the membership and in dealings with the public at large.  The President shall have the authority to make routine administrative/ministerial decisions on behalf of the corporation, as agreed to by the Board. The President shall also act as an ex officio member of all committees of the Corporation. Eligibility for the position of President is limited to current members who have served on the Board of Directors for at least one full term within the previous two years.

*Executive Vice-President*
The Executive Vice-President shall have those powers of the president, in the absence of the president, and as the president so delegates.  In circumstances in which the president resigns, or otherwise is unable to complete his/her term, the vice president shall be vested with the full powers of the president for the remainder of the president's term, or at least until the Board is able to conduct an election for a new president.

*Vice-President of Programming*
The Vice-President of Programming shall be responsible for all matters pertaining to Programming, periodically report to the President and the Board on the activities and initiatives relating to Programming, and perform such other duties as the President or the Board may from time to time direct.  The members of the programming committee will report to the Vice-President of Programming.

*Vice-President of Communications*
The Vice-President of Communications shall be responsible for all matters pertaining to Membership and Communications, periodically report to the President and the Board on the activities and initiatives relating to Communications and Membership, and perform such other duties as the President or the Board may from time to time direct.  Communications include all activities related to the marketing of the Bar such as advertising to the Bar Membership and maintaining the Bar website.  The members of the communication committee and the newsletter staff will report to the Vice-President of Communications. 

*Vice-President of Finance*
The Vice-President of Finance shall be responsible for the safeguarding of all funds received by the Corporation and for their proper disbursement in accordance with budget parameters.  Such funds shall be kept on deposit in financial institutions, or invested in a manner approved by the board of directors.  Checks are to be signed by the VP of Finance and or as directed by the board of directors.  The VP of Finance shall cause a quarterly financial report to be made to the board.  The VP of Finance shall be responsible for the preparation and filing of financial regulatory reports.

*Newsletter Editor-in-Chief*
The Newsletter Editor-in-Chief shall be responsible for issuing the Bar newsletter six times a year, once every two months. The Bar newsletter will include information regarding the Bar's upcoming events, past events, editorial columns, job announcements, and newsworthy articles regarding the D.C. legal community, the Bar's members, or the South Asian community. The Newsletter Editor-in-Chief shall report to the Vice-President of Communications and the President regarding the issuance of the newsletter.

*Secretary*
The Secretary shall keep all non-financial records, carry on correspondence, and cause to be prepared notices, agendas, and the minutes of the meetings of the Board of directors and the general membership.  The Secretary will mail the minutes of meetings of the board to every board member and officer prior to the following meeting.

*General Directors (6)*
The directors shall serve on either the Communications and Membership committee, under the direction of the Vice-President of Communications, or the Programming committee, under the direction of the Vice-President of Programming, to carry out the functions of those respective committees.

___________________________________________________________________________________

The following positions are not part of election process, but members interested in serving on a committee are encouraged to submit their statement of interest for consideration by the Board.  SABA-DC committees are not part of the Board of Directors, but work under the direction of the Board to accomplish the committee's stated objectives. 

*BOARD APPOINTED COMMITTEE POSITIONS*
Endorsements Committee (3 Positions Available)
The Endorsements Committee is responsible for reviewing all requests for the endorsement of SABA-DC submitted by candidates for the judiciary, bar leadership, and/or senior government positions.  Following its review, the Endorsements Committee will make recommendations to the Board as to which candidates warrant the support of SABA-DC.  Membership on the Endorsements Committee is by appointment of the Board of Directors.  If interested in serving on the Endorsements Committee in 2012, please send your statement of interest to elections@sabadc.org. 

Mentorship Committee (3 Positions Available)
The Mentorship Committee is responsible for working with the Board and the Law Student Liaisons to coordinate the SABA-DC Law Student Mentorship Program and related activities.  Membership on the Mentorship Committee is by appointment of the Board of Directors.  If interested in serving on the Mentorship Committee in 2012, please send your statement of interest to elections@sabadc.org. 

Public Interest Committee (3 Positions Available)
The Public Interest Committee is responsible for developing programs and activities targeted at pro bono opportunities and the area public interest law.  Membership on the Public Interest Committee is by appointment of the Board of Directors.  If interested in serving on the Public Interest Committee in 2012, please send your statement of interest to elections@sabadc.org. 

Fundraising Committee (3 Positions Available)
The Fundraising Committee is responsible for coordinating SABA-DC's fundraising and sponsorship efforts.  Membership on the Fundraising Committee is by appointment of the Board of Directors.  If interested in serving on the Fundraising Committee in 2012, please send your statement of interest to elections@sabadc.org. 

*Candidate Statements*

Dear SABA-DC Members,

My name is A.J. Dhaliwal and this is my Statement of Purpose for the Position of President with the 2012 SABA-DC Board.  For 2012, my vision for SABA-DC includes the heated pursuit of its continuing mission to assist South Asian attorneys in their work and initiatives to improve their professional development and the legal system for the public. 

SABA-DC’s success depends on its membership, and I predict an unprecedented increase in membership for 2012 because of the tireless efforts of next year’s Board to promote and endorse the access to valuable SABA-DC membership benefits, such as: great professional development and networking activities with SABA-DC member-attorneys and members of other organizations such as the ABA and the DC Bar Association; meaningful community service activities such as legal clinics; free or discounted CLEs; mentorship programs; quarterly newsletters, including a calendar of events and job opportunities; and eligibility to be nominated for prestigious awards by SABA-DC.

In the New Year, I foresee that SABA-DC will take a leading role in providing direct legal services to South Asian persons whose civil or human rights are violated; advocating for law and policies that are respectful of fundamental rights; promoting appreciation for diversity through legal education; and fostering civic engagement in order to promote local legal community empowerment.  This facet of SABA-DC will be responsible for organizing clinics, creating presentations, and print materials educating the general public on their legal rights.  Lastly, given that 2012 will be a national election year, SABA-DC will take this opportunity to form events that promote legal issues and political discussions affecting the South Asian electorate.

Including my time as a member of the South Asian Bar Association of Connecticut (SABAC) from 2004-2007, I have worked towards the professional development of South Asian lawyers and supported local community involvement for the past seven years.  As a current member of SABA-DC, and a member of the Board since January 2010, I have assisted in organizing professional and social networking events.   This includes a panel on Health Care Reform at the The George Washington University Law School, and a Civil and Human Rights Symposium at the Georgetown University Law Center.  Moreover, as a current member of Washington D.C.’s Chapter of the Sikh Coalition, I have worked to advocate rules and laws that are respectful of human and civil rights and helped create an environment where Sikhs are respected and racial prejudice is eliminated. 

If I am successful in my campaign for SABA-DC President, I will make it my pledge to work diligently to ensure that South Asian lawyers are provided an avenue to develop professionally, with the added promise of utilizing SABA-DC to improve the legal system for the South Asian community.

Thank you,

A.J. S. Dhaliwal

EXECUTIVE VICE-PRESIDENT

Kavitha J. Babu
Executive VP

Statement of Purpose

I am writing to ask for your support of my candidacy for the Executive Vice President for the South Asian Bar Association of Washington, D.C. (“SABA-DC”).

I have served on the SABA-DC Board for the past two years as the Vice President for Communications and as a General Director. As Vice President for Communications, I have been responsible for improving communications with members, expanding membership benefits, and developing relationships with other leaders in the legal community. I have also assisted with event planning, including the Women’s Mentorship Circle dinner series and this year’s Civil and Human Rights Symposium. I have been a member of SABA-DC for multiple years and regularly attended and continue to attend SABA's numerous educational, cultural and social events.

As Executive Vice President, I hope to build on the SABA-DC Board’s efforts to maintain an active and meaningful role for SABA-DC and its members. I intend to focus my efforts on increasing and engaging the membership of SABA-DC, as well as enhancing its visibility and presence in the legal and South Asian communities. My prior experience on the SABA-DC Board and my professional experience as an attorney, first, with a large law firm in Washington, D.C. and now with the federal government provide a strong foundation for accomplishing these objectives.

Please feel free to contact me for further information or with any questions regarding my candidacy.

Kavitha J. Babu

VICE-PRESIDENT OF PROGRAMMING

Jaya Saxena
VP of Programming  

This statement serves to express my interest in serving on the 2012 SABA-DC Board of

Directors.  I first became involved with SABA-DC as an active member and I have been increasingly involved over the years.  From 2010-2011, I served as a General Director on the Board and for the past year, I’ve been serving in the capacity of Secretary and a member of the Public Interest and Mentorship Committees. I am eager to continue serving the Board in the position of Vice-President of Programming.

This past year was an exciting year for SABA-DC in countless ways. We organized and hosted a variety of professional and social events and saw an increase in our membership, including law students and individuals who had recently moved to the area.  Specific examples of events that I spearheaded are a dinner series that focused on public interest careers and a panel event on alternative careers in the law.  I also supported my colleagues by attending as many SABA-DC events as possible, including the Summer Reception in Honor of ASHA for Women and our 2011 Civil and Human Rights Symposium about social and legal issues affecting the South Asian LGBTQ community.

In addition, I played a pivotal role in launching SABA-DC’s Women’s Mentoring Circle, which is a network for South Asian women attorneys and law students.  In creating this group, our hope is to improve the professional satisfaction and retention of South Asian women attorneys in law firms, government, public interest, in-house counsel, and other roles, and to assist South Asian women in gaining success within their respective organizations. One component of the group is our formal and informal dinner series that focus on a specific topic of interest. As Vice-President of Programming, I would continue to build this network by contributing creative and interesting ideas for its growth.

I have also played an active role in SABA-DC’s Public Interest and Mentorship Committees. For several years, I have been involved in our efforts to assess and, ultimately, select the recipients of SABA-DC’s Public Interest Fellowship. I have also worked to promote opportunities for members to get involved with public interest and pro bono opportunities in the community. With respect to SABA-DC’s mentorship work, I have helped to establish our mentoring program with area law students and facilitate communications with our law student liaisons.

By way of background, I was a member, Secretary, and eventual President of the Asian American Law Students Association at the University of North Carolina.  After law school, I spent about five years as a legal services attorney and, more recently, began working for a national health care advocacy organization. 

Having served as a member of SABA-DC’s Board of Directors for the past two years, I understand the responsibilities of its leadership and am excited to continue my involvement by serving as its Vice-President of Programming. This position requires creativity, vision, organization, and the ability to communicate effectively and consistently with other board members, the SABA-DC membership and individuals in the legal community.  I am confident about my skill in these areas and consider them to be some of my greatest strengths.  Thank you for considering me for this position.

VICE-PRESIDENT OF COMMUNICATIONS

Milan Dalal
VP of Communications

I am proud to be a candidate for the position of Vice President-Communications.  Prior to moving to Washington, I was active in the legal community as a member of SABA of Greater Boston, and more broadly as a member of the Boston Legal Group, a group devoted to promoting diversity in the Boston legal market.  As a member of SABA-DC, I have enjoyed the opportunity to attend a number of events sponsored by the group.  In particular, it was a pleasure to speak at a dinner series this past August on the experience of being a South Asian attorney on Capitol Hill. 

As an attorney in the public sector, I hope to bring a diverse perspective to SABA-DC’s Board.  Should I be elected by the membership, I plan to promote events that will both highlight the prospects for employment within the government and the benefits and challenges that such a career can provide.   As the VP for Communications, I will also harness the communications strategies that I utilize daily on Capitol Hill, including outreach via social media.

On a personal note, I have enjoyed thoroughly the fact that SABA-DC provides an opportunity to meet new and interesting people in the South Asian legal community.  I welcome the privilege of helping to advance the goals of this group.

Please feel free to contact me should you have any questions related to my candidacy.

VICE-PRESIDENT OF FINANCE

Shuchi Batra 
VP of Finance 

I am submitting this Statement of Interest for the position of Vice President of Finance.  I have served on the SABA-DC board for the past two years, and would like to continue serving SABA-DC and the South Asian legal community at large.  Currently, I am serving as the VP of Finance, and in 2010, I served as a General Director.   

As VP of Finance this past year, I managed SABA-DC’s funds, created budgets for programs, implemented operational changes to better manage our funds, and helped fundraise for the Public Interest Fellowship.   Also this past year, I helped organize various SABA-DC programs, including the annual Public Benefit Fellowship Benefit Gala, the Alternate Legal Careers Panel, the Civil and Human Rights Symposium, and the Dinner Series regarding Protecting the Civil and Constitutional Rights of the South Asian community.  If re-elected for VP of Finance, I plan to continue to responsibly manage SABA-DC’s funds and work to fundraise for the organization. I also plan to continue to work on organizing quality programming that interest and benefit our membership, and advance the professional development of our members.

This past year has been a very successful one for SABA-DC.  We increased the quantity and quality of our events, saw many new faces attend our events, and raised significantly more money for the Public Interest Fellowship than in years past.  We were successful in organizing programs that brought together attorneys on different career paths and in different stages of their careers.  Next year, I would like to continue SABA-DC’s trend of organizing quality programming that appeals to a broader spectrum of attorneys.  Further, I want to maintain an emphasis on fundraising so that we can offer our members more quality programming and award even more law students with our Public Interest Fellowship. 

Thank you for considering my candidacy.

Hardeep Grover
Newsletter Editor-in-Chief

Dear Members of SABA-DC,

My name is Hardeep Grover, and I am running for the Newsletter Editor-in-Chief position with SABA-DC.  I believe I have the experience necessary to make a significant contribution to SABA’s efforts in the community, and as a new member, I also have the drive to become involved with what I have already found to be a great organization.

I’ve spent the last couple of years in San Francisco as an active member of SABA-Northern California.  I thoroughly enjoyed participating in all the activities that SABA-NC had to offer, and actually held the position of interim Communications Chair before I made the move back to DC.  During this period I was also on the civil rights committee for the Asian American Bar Association, and the pro bono committee of the Bar Association of San Francisco.  While in law school I was also the Vice President of George Washington’s SALSA chapter.

All of these positions have allowed me great experience.  Most recently I helped organize a speaker panel on gang injunctions as variously instituted throughout different cities in California.  As a civil rights event it naturally created an emotional atmosphere, but also one that allowed many perspectives to be spread and recognized.  Altogether, I’ve held a breadth of roles and duties in the organizations I’ve joined: from fund raising to event planning, and from designing websites to dedicated pro bono work for the low-income Asian community.

If elected Newsletter Editor-in-Chief, I will bring the same type of drive and dedication to SABA-DC.  I have strong writing and editing skills, and I will work enthusiastically to release an informative and enjoyable newsletter every quarter.  I will of course look to the DC legal community, SABA members, and area law schools to collect content.  However, I will also interact with SABA chapters across the nation for inspiration in making the best newsletter we can.  I look forward to working with our President, Vice Presidents, and all of our members to achieve this goal.  Thanks for your time and consideration, and best wishes for the coming year.

--Hardeep Grover

SECRETARY (1)

Aarti Shah
Secretary 

I am seeking your vote to serve as Secretary on the Board of the South Asian Bar Association (SABA).

I am pursuing this opportunity because I believe in SABA’s efforts to increase professional development of the South Asian legal community in DC and bring awareness to the vast array of legal issues affecting the community. Over the past few years, SABA has diligently strengthened the event calendar with varied and interesting educational, social, and fund-raising affairs. I served on the SABA Board this year in the capacity of General Director.  As a board member of SABA, I have participated in various activities, such as: organizing several community events, contributing to the SABA newsletter, and serving as a panelist at a dinner series event.

If elected, I would like to see SABA strengthen the following three areas in the coming year:

•     Providing more policy focused events—as a DC based organization, we have unique opportunity to get involved and shape public policy. I would focus my efforts on encouraging more programming that increases awareness of various political and policy debates of the day;

•     Increasing collaboration and programming with other minority legal groups—I believe that partnering with other minority organizations that parallel the mission of SABA in their communities could provide enormous benefits, including an increased knowledge and awareness and potential resolution to issues that may cross all communities.  These partnerships could provide unique opportunities to  advance the cause of each group;

•     Creating mentorship program for the “newly minted” or the younger attorney—the profession of law offers a wide array of career paths an individual can take to achieve his/her career goals.  Mentorship allows both the mentor and mentee to foster an encouraging professional relationship that can lead to the mentees growth and skill development.

I am dedicated to continuing my involvement as a member of your Board so that I can support SABA goals and further strengthen the South Asian legal community. I will strive to continue producing diverse, collaborative partnerships and events.

Thank you for your consideration.  I know that we are going to have an amazing year and I hope to be able to serve you again and continue to make SABA an even stronger organization!

Sarabjeet Singh Kapoor
Secretary

I am running for the position of Secretary.  I believe that my past experience makes me an ideal fit for this position.

I have been impressed by the ability of SABA-DC to bring together some of the best attorneys in the DC area.  I have been fortunate to gain friends and mentors through my membership in SABA-DC.  I believe it is important, however, to expand SABA-DC’s scope and influence in the Northern Virginia area. The influx of South Asians in Northern Virginia makes it a critical area for SABA-DC.  In addition to connecting the numerous South Asian attorneys to each other, there should be increased outreach to the local legal service agencies in Northern Virginia for potential pro bono work.   I have personally witnessed the substantial need for these services among South Asians in my practice in Virginia.

I have experience working in both non-profit and private law firms.  I am currently Attorney-at-Law with The Chugh Firm, APC.  Previously, I was a Staff Attorney with the Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center.   I am also Finance and Fundraising Coordinator for the American India Foundation, Young Professionals DC Chapter and Legal Adviser for the Sikh Foundation of Virginia.  I am a graduate of the University of Virginia and the American University, Washington College of Law.

GENERAL DIRECTORS (6)

Puneet Arora
General Director

Dear SABA DC:

I am seeking your vote to serve as a General Director of the South Asian Bar Association of Washington DC (SABA DC) in 2012.  My desire to promote lawyers and law students of South Asian descent makes me particularly excited about this position.  I realize that a great deal of success in the legal profession is derived from learning about others’ experiences and networking.  As such, I am particularly interested in this position because it will afford me the opportunity to work with leaders in the Washington DC legal community.

This past year, I served on the Endorsements Committee of SABA DC which afforded me the opportunity to work with the Board and get a flavor for how SABA DC works as a bar association.  Going forward, and if elected as a General Director, I plan to collaborate with the board to build on the already impressive list of programs and events that SABA DC sponsors.  I am particularly interested in serving on the programming committee under the direction of the Vice President of Programming to organize educational seminars and networking engagements for lawyers and law students. 

I currently serve as a Young Lawyer Liaison to the ABA Section on Taxation’s Employee Benefits committee.  Additionally, I served as President of the Student Bar Association in law school, Treasurer/Secretary of the ABA Law Student Division and I was involved with the Indian American Bar Association of Chicago before moving to Washington DC.  I believe the leadership skills I have gained from my past experiences will be beneficial for me if elected as a General Director.  

Thank you for taking the time to read my statement of interest.  I look forward to the possibility of serving on the SABA DC board in 2012.

Ajay Gohil
General Director 

I am running for the position of General Director for the 2012 SABA-D.C. Board.  I have been a General Director on the Board and have previously served on the Board of SABA-Atlanta.  I have also helped with the planning and organization of sessions at the past few NASABA Conventions and the 2011 NetIP Conference in D.C.  In the coming year, I would like to be involved with SABA-D.C.'s networking events with other professional organizations and its activities with recruitment and placement companies.

 
Jerry Joseph
General Director

Mr. Joseph recently founded the Law Office of Jerry Joseph, PLC which specializes in Intellectual Property Law.  Mr. Joseph is dedicated in providing high-quality, yet affordable, patent advice to independent inventors and small businesses.  

Mr. Joseph has earned a BS is biomedical engineering from WPI in Worcester, MA and also a Juris Doctorate degree from Suffolk University Law school, in Boston, MA while working full-time at Bayer Diagnostics. 

Mr. Joseph currently serves on the SABA- DC board as a general director, and wishes to continue to serve in his role for the year ahead. 

If re-elected, Mr. Joseph will focus his attention on addressing the real-world concerns of the many small businesses and entrepreneurs within the South Asian community.  

In addition, Mr. Joseph will encourage initiatives which will help inform new businesses and entrepreneurs of resources available within the South Asian community.

Thank you for your consideration. 

Jerry K. Joseph

Vamsi Kakarla
General Director

Dear SABA-DC Members:

I submit this statement for my candidacy as a General Director of SABA-DC. I have lived in Washington, D.C. since 2000 and have attended and participated in many SABA-DC events. In submitting this statement, my goal is to not only increase my own participation in this very valuable association but also to use my experience to help SABA-DC continue its efforts of raising awareness of South Asian issues and providing assistance to those in the South Asian community.

Over the years, I have been extremely fortunate to be part of firms that support the efforts of its attorneys to give back to the community. As an attorney at Seyfarth Shaw, I am a member of our firm’s diversity committee and frequently represent our firm at events focusing on the needs of minority legal communities. These efforts have helped increase awareness of many issues affecting minorities in the practice of law. In addition, through the firm’s commitment to community service and pro bono representation, I have been able to assist individuals having limited means to legal counsel.

I believe that I can be a great asset to SABA-DC in addressing issues affecting the South Asian community. My experience as an attorney, a member of our diversity committee, and pro bono legal counsel will be a great resource for SABA-DC in its commitment to meeting the goals set forth in its mission statement. Moreover, being a General Director would give me an opportunity to not only learn from other SABA-DC members and their experiences but also to aid in the professional development of other members in this great organization.

I appreciate your time in considering my candidacy.

Vamsi K. Kakarla

Rashi Mittal
General Director

Rashi Mittal Candidate Statement for SABA-DC

Rashi Mittal Candidate Statement for SABA-DC

I am currently on the Board of SABA DC as a General Director, and am interested in remaining in the position to assist with what we began in 2011. I currently practice in the Federal and Antitrust law section at Mintz Levin.  I am originally from Los Angeles, went to Stanford for undergrad, and graduated from Boston University Law School in 2008.  I clerked in Boston before moving to DC.

 started my journey with SABA when I served on the Board of the South Asian Law Student’s Association during my 2L and 3L years of law school.  After graduating, I joined the Board of SABA Greater Boston (GB), and was on the board for almost two years.  As a SABA GB Board member, I was particularly involved in strengthening relationships with other affinity bar associations and helping increase the visibility of our organization in the community-at-large.  I helped organize our signature annual diversity event, an event featuring panelists from all the local minority bar associations gathered for discussion on the various challenges faced by minority attorneys.  I was at the forefront of planning the “Be the Change” event in partnership with South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT).  I also assisted with the creation of the attorney-referral directory and an attorney-mentorship program for South Asian Attorneys in Boston.  Because there are fewer South Asian attorneys in Boston and SABA GB chapter is a young chapter, these were significant achievements.  Finally, I assisted with the planning of the 2010 NASABA convention in Boston.  In my first year as the SABA DC Board, I have been involved in helping plan various social and career oriented events.  Firstly, I served as a SABA DC ambassador to the NASABA convention and helped out with the planning of the NASABA convention held in Los Angeles as a member of their programming committee.  Additionally, I was at the forefront of helping plan Robert E. Wone Annual Minority Judicial Clerkship & Internship Conference this year, which attracted over 150 minority students interested in Clerking.  

If re-elected, I want to increase SABA’s profile and partnership with other organizations such as the American Bar Association Antitrust and International Section.  I think that a partnership with the ABA will help increase access of our members to other professionals in DC and increase SABA-DC’s profile just in general in the legal community in DC.  Additionally, I want to leverage embassies in the area (such as the Indian Embassy) to host some classy events, that make our membership base aware of alternative legal career paths in foreign service and other international trade law areas. In the time where law students and junior attorneys are struggling with finding traditional legal jobs, I consider SABA DC to be an organization which can educate people about other viable options.  In all, I hope to continue producing diverse, collaborative partnerships and events.

Thank you for your consideration. 

Tayan Patel
General Director

 I am submitting my candidacy for the position of General Director for the 2012 SABA-DC Board of Directors.  During the past two years, I served as a General Director and Chair of the Mentorship Committee.  I am eager to continue serving in both capacities for 2012. 

In my capacity as a General Director, I helped organize various social and educational events for SABA-DC.  In particular, I coordinated our successful Mentorship Happy Hour this past fall and also hosted a dinner series on protecting the civil and constitutional rights of the South Asian community.  I also have been very active in maintaining SABA-DC’s Mentoring Program which involves identifying and matching mentees with mentors in their field of interest.  If re-elected, I plan to continue developing the Mentoring Program to ensure that the next generation of South Asian lawyers are well-connected and in-touch with issues that affect our community.

My vision for the upcoming year is to increase our membership and strengthen our legal presence as a growing minority bar association in Washington D.C.  I also would like to continue developing quality programs that are beneficial and of interest to our members.

It has been a real pleasure to serve on the Board of Directors as a General Director for the last two years and I actively solicit your support to serve in this capacity in 2012.  Thank you for your consideration!

Neal Shah
General Director

Hello,

I'd like to serve as one of the SABA General Directors or, alternatively, as a member of one of the committees.  As a recent law graduate, I've been faced with numerous choices in bar associations and other legal interest groups.  I have consistently found that SABA offers a good mix of entertaining and useful networking events, educational presentations, opportunities for collaboration.  Above all, it has provided engagement with the very strong South Asian community in the region.

I would like to continue this tradition as a General Director on the Communications Committee.  As a Baltimore-based member of our community, I've appreciated the many different communication platforms SABA uses.  I have always felt well-informed about relevant events and issues.  I'd like to build on this high level of service to members.  Alternatively, as a current government attorney who spent much of his time in law school searching for a public interest position, I believe I could be an asset to the public interest committee.

I look forward to learning more about SABA's needs and offering my services wherever they would be most needed.

Thank you,

Neal Shah

Padma Shah
General Director

My name is Padma Shah, and I am running again to be a General Director of the South Asian Bar Association of Washington, DC (SABA-DC). I am a native of the Washington, DC area, and have practiced law here since 2003. Currently, I work on regulatory matters at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Since 2006, I have been an active member of the Executive Board, and I respectfully ask again for your support.  Over the years, my dedicated service to SABA-DC has focused on managing its public interest commitments, and, thus, I chair the association’s Public Interest Committee (PIC). In this capacity, I lead SABA-DC’s annual selection of summer public interest fellows. I also help recruit pro bono attorneys for quarterly participation in the DC Bar’s Advice and Referral Clinic held at Bread for the City.

Additionally, this past year, I organized an October dinner series that focused on different careers in public interest law. Also, back in April, I helped the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless connect with potential SABA-DC volunteers.

Finally, I also administer our association’s attorney referral list, which connects potential clients with SABA-DC members.

If you should grant me the privilege of remaining on the Executive Board, I would like to build on SABA-DC’s solid record of civic involvement.  One of SABA-DC’s core missions is to “improve access to legal services for the South Asian American community, particularly among the least fortunate.” I believe the association can do more to achieve this mission objective. Particularly, next year, I would like to develop a network of pro bono attorneys who can provide legal services to indigent individuals in the community, especially those with limited English proficiency. I would also like to build on SABA-DC’s outreach to DC area law students and its ties with other civic organizations.

Thank you very much for your consideration.  If you have any questions, please contact me at padma.shah@gmail.com.  I would be honored to have your vote.

  
Moh Sharma
General Director

Hi my name is Moh Sharma and I am running for a Director position on the 2012 SABA DC Board.  I graduated from City University of New York School of Law in 2009.  After law school, I worked at a small community lawyering non-profit, completed a fellowship, clerked for a little while and am currently a legislative fellow on the Hill where I work on a variety of things including issues related to the Asian Pacific American community.  I am admitted in CT and am currently completing my paperwork for NY.  

From January 2010 to June 2011, I was on the SABA NY Board as VP of Public Interest Fellowship and Law Student Relations.  In this position, I ran the 2010 and 2011 SABANY Public Interest fellowship program from creating the applications, selecting judges, fundraising for the fellowships and organizing two public interest fellowship benefit events.  I also worked with the Public Interest Committee, helped organize CLEs and other events. Also in 2011, I was the Director of Membership for the CT National Association of Asian American Professionals and then was nominated to step in as Vice President and in this position I helped organize the Annual Membership Dinner, worked on the organization’s strategic plan, helped run the Board meetings and did a variety of other things.  I really enjoy volunteering and organizing and thus the work that comes with the SABA DC Director position is something that I am committed to doing well.

SABA DC has done some great things in 2011 and I think this upcoming year is going to be an exciting year to be a part of the organization.  The 2012 election, along with a variety of other things going on in DC will provide a lot of opportunity to engage SABA DC members in events and opportunities you all are interested in.  

I have some ideas of things I would like to see SABA DC make happen in 2012 and I am excited to push forward any ideas you all have.  The ideas I have include: more events with other bar associations and organizations; working on voter protection surrounding the 2012 election; CLEs on topics members are interested in; more mentoring with college and maybe high school students; community service with Washington DC community; and more events with taking advantage of the people and the resources of Washington DC.  Some goals I have for myself is to help fundraise for more public interest fellowships to be awarded to law students, as well as working with law students and new graduates to help them find internships and jobs they are interested in.  Also I am excited to carry out the responsibilities that a SABA DC Director has of supporting the Committee/s I am working with. 

I am organized, hard working and genuinely enjoy working for people so if elected I promise to try to push forward whatever events and issues you are interested in SABA DC working on in 2012.  Thank you for your consideration.

COMMITTEES
Positions Appointed by Board of Directors. Applications may be submitted through December 31, 2011

ENDORSEMENTS COMMITTEE

MENTORSHIP COMMITTEE

Sheila Mahadevan

I am interested in being appointed by the SABA Board of Directors to one of the three positions on the Mentorship Committee.  Though I only recently joined SABA, I am interested in being appointed to the Mentorship Committee because throughout my legal career (pre-law school, law school, and after), I have found my professional connections to be valuable connections that have enabled me to learn more about the legal field, to mature, and to make informed decisions with regards to my future.  When I first became involved with SABA-DC in law school, I was informed that SABA did not have a mentorship program.  This later changed and now I have a wonderful mentor who has guided me as I have embarked on my career as an immigration attorney.  I hope to join the Mentorship Committee and make valuable contributions to the program’s growing and continued success.  Given the tough employment situation that all attorneys now face, I strongly believe that by reaching out and providing quality mentoring to law students and young attorneys, SABA can continue to ensure the success of South Asian law students and attorneys in the D.C. area. 

Sincerely,

Sheila Mahadevan, Esq.
(Howard Law Class of 2011)

My name is Padma Shah, and I would like to be a member of SABA-DC’s Public Interest Committee (PIC). I am a native of the Washington, DC area, and have practiced law here since 2003. Currently, I work on regulatory matters at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Over the years, my dedicated service to SABA-DC has focused on managing its public interest commitments, and, thus, I currently chair the PIC. In this capacity, I lead SABA-DC’s annual selection of summer public interest fellows. I also help recruit pro bono attorneys for quarterly participation in the DC Bar’s Advice and Referral Clinic held at Bread for the City.

Additionally, this past year, I organized an October dinner series that focused on different careers in public interest law. Also, back in April, I helped the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless connect with potential SABA-DC volunteers.

Finally, I also administer our association’s attorney referral list, which connects potential clients with SABA-DC members.

If you should grant me the privilege of remaining on the PIC, I would like to build on SABA-DC’s solid record of civic involvement.  One of SABA-DC’s core missions is to “improve access to legal services for the South Asian American community, particularly among the least fortunate.” I believe the association can do more to achieve this mission objective. Particularly, next year, I would like to develop a network of pro bono attorneys who can provide legal services to indigent individuals in the community, especially those with limited English proficiency. I would also like to build on SABA-DC’s outreach to DC area law students and its ties with other civic organizations.

Thank you very much for your consideration.  If you have any questions, please contact me at padma.shah@gmail.com.  I would be honored to have your vote.

FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE