South Asian Bar Association of Washington, D.C. News

Raising the Bar - February 2026

SABA DC Communications — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 22:09:45 GMT

Kalyan Deshpande

We’re thrilled to spotlight Kalyan Deshpande on his appointment as Chief Judge of the U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Judge Deshpande has been a member of SABA-DC for many years, and this is a proud moment for all of us.

Judge Deshpande, who has served on the Board since 2008 across roles including Lead Judge and Vice Chief Judge, now leads the Board responsible for critical patent reviews and appeals. His deep experience shaping precedential decision processes, advancing internal programs like LEAP, and stewarding the Board’s operations positions him to guide patent law adjudication with expertise, fairness, and a commitment to innovation. His leadership is a significant achievement for the IP community and an inspiring example of the impact of diverse legal talent at the highest levels of federal service.

SABA-DC congratulates Judge Deshpande.

SABA-DC Offers Free Membership to Current and Former Federal Government Employees Affected by Recent Layoffs

SABA DC Communications — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 02:53:51 GMT

In response to recent government layoffs, SABA-DC is offering free one-year memberships from now through May 31, 2025 to both new and renewing members who are:

● Current federal government employees

● Federal government employees laid off in 2025

Please note: This free membership offer is only available to new members and those renewing in this period. No refunds or fee adjustments will be provided for those who are already members.

SABA-DC recognizes the invaluable contributions of federal government attorneys and those who have served in the public sector. By waiving membership fees for eligible individuals, we aim to enhance access to our professional development resources, networking opportunities, and community engagement programs.

To sign up for this free membership or for any questions, please reach out to sabadcmembership@gmail.com. When signing up, please include your name, email address, and current or former government position and employer.

About SABA-DC

The South Asian Bar Association of Washington, D.C. is a voluntary bar association dedicated to promoting the professional development of South Asian attorneys and law students, increasing awareness and engagement on legal issues affecting the South Asian community, and fostering a strong and supportive legal network in the Washington, D.C. area.

Sincerely,

Avani Uppalapati

President, SABA-DC

Raising the Bar - April 2021

SABA DC Communications — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 23:41:55 GMT

Dr. Vivek H. Murthy

Dr. Vivek H. Murthy was sworn in as the 21st surgeon general of the United States on March 25, 2021. This is the second tenure as the "nation's doctor," Dr. Murthy served as the 19th surgeon general of the United States from December 15, 2014 to April 21, 2017. He was the nation's first Senate-confirmed Asian American surgeon general.

The surgeon general serves as a prominent spokesperson and policy advisor on public health issues. The surgeon general also oversees the U.S. Public Health Service commissioned corps, a uniformed service of about 6,000 public health workers who have, for the past year, played a key role in staffing the coronavirus response and vaccine administration effort. During his first term as surgeon general, Dr. Murthy worked on public health issues such as the opioid crisis, the promotion of physical exercise, and combating loneliness and the stigma of mental illness.

In 2020, Dr. Murthy authored the New York Times Bestselling Book, Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World. Dr. Murthy received his bachelor’s degree from Harvard and his M.D. and M.B.A. degrees from Yale. He completed his internal medicine residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and later joined Harvard Medical School as faculty in internal medicine.

SABA-DC congratulates Dr. Murthy on his historic achievement.

Nina R. Tandon

Nina R. Tandon recently joined Square, Inc. as Privacy Counsel where she advises on global privacy legal and business risk, including: regulatory compliance, product counseling, commercial contract, and employment. Ms. Tandon's role includes partnering with and advising Square's global business teams on GDPR and CCPA compliance, Data & InfoSec policies and procedures, product features (including privacy notices & policies), as well as data protection agreements and incident response.

Prior to joining Square, Ms. Tandon served as Associate General Counsel of the American Psychological Association where she managed Intellectual Property, Privacy and Contracts legal and organizational risk. Ms. Tandon also worked in private practice and served as a law clerk to two federal judges.

Nina received her J.D., cum laude, from Boston University School of Law with an honors concentration in International Law, her M.A.L.D. from The Fletcher School, Tufts University with concentrations in Development Economics and International Organizations, and her B.A., with honors in Philosophy, and Journalism from Emory University. She also holds a CIPP/US certification.

SABA-DC congratulates Ms. Tandon on her recent career move.

Raising the Bar - March 2021

SABA DC Communications — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 13:59:28 GMT

Ruchi Jain

Ruchi Jain was appointed Deputy Solicitor for General Law, Department of the Interior in the Biden-Harris administration.

Before joining Interior, Ruchi Jain was the Pro Bono Counsel for the Washington, D.C. office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Previously, Ms. Jain served as Special Assistant to President Obama, where she worked with other senior White House officials on federal agency management, Executive Branch nominations, and personnel matters. She held several other roles in the Obama-Biden White House and the Department of Justice. She began her career in private law practice.

SABA-DC congratulates Ms. Jain on her administration appointment.

Karthik Kumar

Karthik Kumar, Ph.D. was elevated to Partner at Finnegan. Mr. Kumar is co-leader of the firm's augmented/virtual reality industry practice, focusing his work on complex patent litigation and strategic counseling in emerging technologies.

He has worked on ITC investigations, district court cases, and inter partes review (IPR) proceedings. In his strategic counseling practice, Mr. Kumar manages teams of attorneys and technical specialists to develop global patent portfolios for large technology companies.

SABA-DC congratulates Mr. Kumar on his elevation.

Raj Parekh

Raj Parekh was named the Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA). Parekh is the first Indian-American and minority member in the 232-year history of the Office to serve as EDVA’s U.S. Attorney.

As Acting U.S. Attorney, Mr. Parekh supervises the prosecution of all federal crimes and the litigation of all civil matters in which the United States has an interest. He leads a staff of approximately 300 prosecutors, civil litigators, and support personnel across four Divisions located in Alexandria, Richmond, Norfolk, and Newport News. The district serves over six million residents.

SABA-DC congratulates Mr. Parekh on his historic accomplishment.

Binal Patel

Binal Patel was elected President of Banner Witcoff in January 2021. During his time at Banner Witcoff, Patel has served on the Board of Directors, as a trusted advisor to his clients and a sought-out mentor to many. His practice covers a range of areas including district court patent litigation, proceedings at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, and patent portfolio management.

Beyond his practice, Patel has played an instrumental role in promoting and advancing diverse attorneys across the country as the co-founder of the South Asian Bar Association of Chicago and the South Asian Bar Association of North America, and with his involvement in various other local and national minority bar associations.

SABA-DC congratulates Mr. Patel on his presidential achievement.

2020 SABA-DC Annual Awards - Call For Nominations

SABA DC Communications — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 21:25:43 GMT

SABA-DC’s 12th Annual Public Interest Benefit Gala (and 1st ever virtual celebration) is coming up in October 2020. We will be continuing our annual tradition of recognizing outstanding members of the South Asian legal community during this annual marquee event. We welcome nominations for any of the awards listed below. If you would like to nominate someone (or nominate yourself), please fill out the form here: https://forms.gle/5B6xsBmRE7KY6Wpu5. Nominations are due by Tuesday, September 8, 2020. Questions? Please email SABADCAwards@gmail.com.

Public Sector Trailblazer Award: Recognizes an individual within the SABA-DC community who has demonstrated sustained excellence in public sector legal work or a specific extraordinary accomplishment in the public sector. Public sector attorneys include those employed by the federal, state, or local governments, colleges and universities, and non-profit and not-for-profit organizations.

Private Sector Trailblazer Award: Recognizes an individual within the SABA-DC community who has demonstrated sustained excellence in private sector legal work or a specific extraordinary accomplishment in the private sector. Private sector attorneys include those employed by for-profit law firms or those working in-house at for-profit corporations.

Community Leader Award: Recognizes an individual or organization in the DC metropolitan area who has demonstrated strong support for SABA-DC, its members, and/or the South Asian community through pro bono work or community engagement.

Rising Star Award: Recognizes a SABA-DC member, who is under the age of 40 or has been practicing for fewer than 10 years and has achieved prominence and distinction in their respective field while demonstrating a strong commitment to SABA-DC and the South Asian community.

2019 SABA-DC Gala Awards - Call For Nominations

SABA DC Communications — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 13:00:11 GMT

2019 SABA-DC Gala Awards - Call for Nominations

SABA-DC's 11th Annual Public Interest Benefit Gala is coming up on October 19, 2019.

For the first time, SABA-DC will be recognizing outstanding members of the South Asian legal community at the gala. We would love your nominations for any of the awards listed below. If you would like to nominate someone (or nominate yourself), please email our Awards Committee at sabadcgala@gmail.com by September 25, 2019. Please include a short description of the nominee’s qualifications for the award, the nominee’s bio, and their contact information. Thank you!

· Public Sector Trailblazer Award: Recognizes an individual within the SABA-DC community who has demonstrated sustained excellence in public sector legal work or a specific extraordinary accomplishment in the public sector. Public sector attorneys include those employed by the federal, state, or local governments, colleges and universities, and non-profit organizations.

· Private Sector Trailblazer Award: Recognizes an individual within the SABA-DC community who has demonstrated sustained excellence in private sector legal work or a specific extraordinary accomplishment in the private sector. Private sector attorneys include those employed by for-profit law firms or those working in-house at for-profit corporations.

· Community Leader Award: Recognizes an individual or organization in the greater Washington or DMV area who, regardless of SABA-DC membership, has demonstrated strong support for SABA-DC, its members, and/or the South Asian community through pro bono work or community engagement.

· Rising Star Award: Recognizes a talented individual within the SABA-DC community, who is under the age of 40 or has been practicing for fewer than 10 years, and has achieved prominence and distinction in their respective field while demonstrating a strong commitment to SABA-DC and the South Asian community.

SABA-DC Endorses A.J. Dhaliwal for DC Bar Treasurer

SABA DC Communications — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 18:46:23 GMT

SABA-DC has endorsed A.J. Dhaliwal for DC Bar Treasurer. Mr. Dhaliwal was nominated to run for the DC Bar Treasurer position for the 2017-2018 Board term. As an Associate with Buckley Sandler LLP, Dhaliwal represents clients in matters relating to consumer protection regulation and enforcement. He previously served on the DC Bar’s Voluntary Leadership Group and is a graduate of the DC Bar’s John Payton Leadership Academy, Class of 2014.

Dhaliwal is a former President of the South Asian Bar Association of Washington DC, where he worked to promote the professional development of South Asian American lawyers and law students, increase awareness and dialogue about legal issues of concern to South Asian Americans, and expand access to pro bono legal services.

Ballots and instructions for voting will be distributed to all active Bar members on April 24, and members can vote by mail or online at www.dcbar.org/elections. Candidates will be introduced at the D.C. Bar Candidates’ Forum on Wednesday, April 26. The deadline to vote is May 19.

More information is located on the Endorsements page.

2017 Mentorship Program

SABA DC Communications — Tue, 07 Mar 2017 00:18:21 GMT

SABA-DC is kicking off the 2017 SABA-DC Mentorship Program. Mentors can be attorneys (at any level of experience) and Mentees can be law students and attorneys (at any level of experience). SABA Membership is not required to join the program. The deadline to submit the Mentor or Mentee application is on March 26, 2017 at 11:59pm. See instructions on the banner page on sabadc.org.

2017 Public Interest Fellowship Application Now Available

SABA DC Communications — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 03:29:00 GMT

Every year SABA-DC provides financial assistance in the form of summer fellowships to law students working in the public interest sector for the benefit of the South Asian community and the metropolitan D.C. area. SABA-DC is now accepting applications for its 2017 Public Interest Fellowship Program.

Applicants must be current law students in good standing who will be employed or interning in the public interest sector in the D.C. area this coming summer. Examples of qualified positions include: nonprofit organizations; legal services organizations; district attorneys'/public defenders' offices; federal, state, and local government; and public service law firms.

SABA-DC considers all of the materials submitted by the applicant, with particular weight given to the applicant's essay and commitment to public service. For students interested in applying, the application can be accessed here, and must be submitted tosabadcpifellowship@gmail.com by April 7, 2017.

More information can be found on our website.

SABA-DC, NAPABA, and Korematsu Center file amicus brief in Federal Circuit case affecting trademark registration of disparaging marks

SABA DC Communications — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 03:01:46 GMT

For immediate release – July 27, 2015

SABA-DC, NAPABA, and Korematsu Center file amicus brief in Federal Circuit case affecting trademark registration of disparaging marks

WASHINGTON—The South Asian Bar Association of Washington, D.C. (SABA-DC), the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), and the Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality (Korematsu Center) jointly filed an amicus brief to support the U.S. government’s denial of trademark registration to an Asian American rock band in a case before the Federal Circuit. Amici were represented by Charanjit (Charan) Brahma, Michael Hobbs and Daniel Sharpe at Troutman Sanders LLP.

Simon Shiao Tam applied to register a federal trademark for his band, “The Slants.” The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office denied his application based on Section 2(a) of the Lanham Act that permits it to deny registration of disparaging marks. Though Tam’s appeal was rejected by a panel of the Federal Circuit, the en banc court on its own accord vacated that decision and ordered an en banc hearing on whether Section 2(a) violates the First Amendment.

“Asian Pacific Americans are all too familiar with the harm, including violence, that often accompanies racial slurs and epithets,” said NAPABA President George C. Chen. “Although I recognize the band’s intent to reclaim a historically disparaging term, as an intellectual property attorney, I also am cognizant that changing the U.S. trademark regulations to allow the registration of ‘The Slants’ could result in the trademarking of offensive terms by individuals and groups without similarly positive intentions.”

“SABA-DC deplores the use of racial slurs and epithets, and while the particular epithet involved in this case is not one that is usually directed to our South Asian constituency, we believe slurs against any racial or ethnic group are damaging to us all,” added SABA-DC President Habib F. Ilahi. “The First Amendment protects free speech, but it does not entitle those who wish to use such derogatory terms for branding purposes to receive the stamp of government approval that comes with federal trademark registration.”

The amicus brief urges the court to recognize that federal registration of a disparaging mark implicates the government. It argues that the federal registry can be compared to county deed recording systems, under which property owners were permitted to record racially restrictive covenants. Until the 1948 case of Shelley v. Kraemer, courts enforced these private acts of discrimination. The amicus brief urges the Federal Circuit to not make the federal trademark registry a place where racism is recorded and authorized, and to not require our government to perpetuate racism.

Robert Chang, executive director of the Korematsu Center, commented, “While Mr. Tam seeks to embrace a derogatory racial term and to subvert it, a laudatory goal, a ruling against the government in this case would leave the government powerless to deny federal registration of trademarks to hate groups.”

“Troutman Sanders is pleased to be able to lend our experience in intellectual property and Federal Circuit appellate issues to aid NAPABA, SABA-DC and the Korematsu Center in this important case,” added Charan Brahma, a partner in Troutman Sanders’ Intellectual Property practice in the San Francisco office, and former President-elect of SABA-DC.

The case, In re Tam, will be heard en banc by the Federal Circuit on Oct. 2, 2015.

The amicus brief is available at http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.napaba.org/resource/resmgr/Amicus_Briefs/SABA-DC,_NAPABA,_Korematsu_C.pdf.

Contacts:

Kaamil Khan (SABA-DC)

Kaamil@kmkhan.com

-571-483-0074

Brett Schuster, Communications Manager (NAPABA)

bschuster@napaba.org

202-775-9555

Robert S. Chang (Korematsu Center)

changro@seattleu.edu

206-398-4025

Applications for 2015 Public Interest Fellowship Program due APRIL 3

SABA DC Communications — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 13:38:40 GMT

See the Public Interest Fellowship page on the Home Page banner for more information and a link to the 2015 application. Completed applications must be emails no later than April 3, 2015, to sabadcsecretary@gmail.com.

Each applicant must be a current law student in good standing, and must have received confirmation of employment or internship with a public interest organization during the summer of 2015.

It is the policy of SABA-DC not to discriminate on the basis of age, gender, disability, race, color, creed, religion, ethnicity, national origin, veteran status, or sexual orientation.

SABA-DC Applauds the Confirmation of Amit P. Mehta for the United States District Court for the District of Columbia

SABA DC Communications — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 17:37:45 GMT

For Immediate Release, December 17, 2014

saba-DC APPLAUDS THE CONFIRMATION OF

AMIT PRIYAVADAN MEHTA

FOR THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

The South Asian Bar Association of Washington, D.C. (“SABA-DC”) applauds the United States Senate’s confirmation of Amit Priyavadan Mehta to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. He will be the first South Asian American to serve on the federal District Court for the District of Columbia.

Shuchi Batra, President of SABA-DC, added, “SABA-DC is thrilled that the Senate has confirmed our member Amit P. Mehta to the distinguished bench of the District Court for the District of Columbia. He will be an outstanding and fair-minded judge.” SABA-DC previously endorsed Amit for this position.

Amit has been a partner at Zuckerman Spaeder LLP since 2010, where he represents clients in civil and criminal matters before state and federal courts. He rejoined the firm as counsel in 2007 after serving as a staff attorney for the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia from 2002 to 2007. Prior to this, Amit worked as an associate at Zuckerman Spaeder LLP from 1999 to 2002, as a law clerk for Judge Susan P. Graber of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 1998 to 1999, and as an associate at Latham & Watkins LLP from 1997 to 1998. He received his J.D. in 1997 from the University of Virginia School of Law and his B.A. in 1993 from Georgetown University.

Amit’s experience is marked by high profile successes in difficult cases, including the civil and criminal defense of Dominique Strauss-Kahn against allegations of sexual abuse and the defense of the former president of the Salt Lake City Olympic bid committee against charges of fraud and racketeering. His years at the D.C. Public Defender Service gave him real-world insight into the daily challenges and disparities in economics, education, and opportunity experienced by disadvantaged communities, particularly for young minorities.

Amit has also made community service a priority. He served as a Director of Facilitating Leadership in Youth, a non-profit organization dedicated to after-school activities and mentoring for at-risk youth. He also served as the Vice-President of the Board of Directors of the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project.

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SABA-DC is a voluntary bar association dedicated to promoting the needs, concerns, and interests of the South Asian American legal community in the Washington, D.C. area. The organization reaches approximately 1,000 attorneys and jurists of South Asian origin in the Washington, D.C. area.

Memorial Service for Ajay Ojha- December 10, 2014

SABA DC Communications — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 21:21:17 GMT

We are deeply saddened by the passing of our friend and colleague, Ajay Ojha. Ajay was in Escuintla, Guatemala on November 12, 2014 while on a volunteer service mission helping build a secondary school there. He was 38.

He worked as a consultant for the federal government in Washington, DC, primarily assisting the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security with Program Management and Strategic Communications. He was very active in his community, serving on several boards including the Upakar Foundation, the South Asian Bar Association of North America Foundation, and the DC Commission on Asian and Pacific Island Community Development.

In lieu of flowers and to celebrate his life, an educational scholarship fund has been set up in his name through the Upakar Foundation and donations may be made at – http://www.upakarfoundation.org/named-scholarships/ajay-ojha-memorial

A memorial service in Washington, DC, is tentatively set for Wednesday evening, December 10th. Please register here if you will be attending:

http://ajayojhadcmemorial.eventbrite.com

SABA-DC Fall 2014 Newsletter Released

SABA DC Communications — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 16:04:16 GMT

The SABA-DC Fall Newsletter is here! We've had some wonderfully exciting times and have many stories to share. Please follow this link link to catch up on happenings in the SABA-DC community over the past few months.

SABA-DC Endorses Karl Racine for D.C. Attorney General

SABA DC Communications — Sun, 26 Oct 2014 21:15:41 GMT

SABA-DC believes Karl Racine is immensely qualified for the D.C Attorney General position because of the depth and range of his legal, management and leadership experience. Mr. Racine’s legal experience as a public defender in the District of Columbia, litigator of white-collar and commercial cases at Cacheris & Treanor, associate general counsel in the Clinton White House, and the first African-American managing partner of Venable LLP will serve him well. His over ten years of management and leadership experience as managing partner of Venableundefineda top 100 firmundefinedhas particularly equipped him well to run the D.C. Office of Attorney General, which will require overseeing 300 attorneys and managing a $100 million budget. SABA-DC is also impressed by Mr. Racine’s commitment to pro bono work exhibited through the over 1,000 hours he has spent defending victims in death penalty cases, and by his continued commitment to fostering greater diversity in the legal profession.

SABA-DC APPLAUDS VANITA GUPTA’S APPOINTMENT TO LEAD THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

SABA DC Communications — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 20:12:36 GMT

The South Asian Bar Association of Washington, D.C. (SABA-DC) congratulates its member Vanita Gupta on her appointment as the acting head of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Vanita will become Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General and Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. She is the first South Asian American appointed to head the division.

“Vanita is an excellent choice for this position given her significant litigation and policy experience across a range of civil right issues. We are extremely excited about her appointment,” said Shuchi Batra, President of SABA-DC. Immediately prior to her appointment, Vanita was the Deputy Legal Director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Director of the ACLU’s Center for Justice, which houses the organization’s criminal justice reform, prisoners’ rights, and capital punishment work. Previously, Vanita served as a staff attorney with the ACLU’s Racial Justice Program, focusing on systemic criminal justice reform, immigration detention, and education litigation. She won a landmark settlement on behalf of immigrant children detained in a privately-run prison in Texas that led to the end of “family detention” at the facility.

Vanita began her career with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund where she successfully led the effort to overturn the wrongful drug convictions of 38 individuals in Tulia, Texas, and served on the legal team that won freedom for renowned prison journalist Wilbert Rideau in his fourth retrial after he had already spent 44 years in prison. She also successfully won significant sentence reductions for several men subject to harsh New York Rockefeller drug penalties.

In 2011, the National Law Journal recognized her as a Top 40 Minority Lawyer Under 40. Vanita is a magna cum laude graduate of Yale University and received her law degree from New York University School of Law.

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SABA-DC Summer Newsletter released

SABA DC Communications — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 02:54:23 GMT

The SABA-DC Summer Newsletter is here! We've had some wonderfully exciting times and have many stories to share. Please follow this link to catch up on happenings in the SABA-DC community over the past few months.

SABA-DC's Spring 2014 newsletter highlights happenings in the Washington D.C.'s South Asian legal community. We hope you enjoy reading it and welcome your feedback.

SABA North America and SABA-DC Applaud the Nomination of Amit P. Mehta for the United States District Court for the District of Columbia

SABA DC Communications — Fri, 01 Aug 2014 02:45:45 GMT

For Immediate Release, August 1, 2014

SABA NORTH AMERICA and saba-DC APPLAUD THE NOMINATION

OF AMIT PRIYAVADAN MEHTA FOR THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

The South Asian Bar Association of North America (SABA North America) and the South Asian Bar Association of Washington, D.C. (SABA-DC) applaud President Obama’s nomination of Amit Priyavadan Mehta to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

“Amit is an established and respected leader in the South Asian legal community. We are extremely excited that another deserving South Asian has been nominated to the judiciary,” pronounced Mansi Shah, President of SABA North America. Shuchi Batra, President of SABA-DC, added, “SABA-DC is very proud that President Obama has chosen to nominate our member Amit P. Mehta to the distinguished bench of the District Court for the District of Columbia.”

SABA North America and SABA-DC both proudly endorsed Mr. Mehta for this position.

Amit Mehta has been a partner at Zuckerman Spaeder LLP since 2010, where he represents clients in civil and criminal matters before state and federal courts. He rejoined the firm as counsel in 2007, after serving as a staff attorney for the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia from 2002 to 2007. Mehta worked as an associate at Zuckerman Spaeder LLP from 1999 to 2002, as a law clerk for Judge Susan P. Graber of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 1998 to 1999, and as an associate at Latham & Watkins LLP from 1997 to 1998. He received his J.D. in 1997 from the University of Virginia School of Law and his B.A. in 1993 from Georgetown University.

Mr. Mehta’s experience is marked by high profile successes in difficult cases, including the civil and criminal defense of Dominique Strauss-Kahn against allegations of sexual abuse and the defense of the former president of the Salt Lake City Olympic bid committee against charges of fraud and racketeering. His years at the D.C. Public Defender Service gave him real-world insight into the daily challenges and disparities in economics, education, and opportunity experienced by disadvantaged communities, particularly for young minorities.

Mr. Mehta has also made community service a priority. He has served as a Director of Facilitating Leadership in Youth, a non-profit organization dedicated to after-school activities and mentoring for at-risk youth. He also served as the Vice-President of the Board of Directors of the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project. Mr. Mehta’s dedication to seek justice through the vindication of the factually innocent demonstrates the commitment he would bring to the bench once confirmed.

###

SABA North America (formerly NASABA/North American South Asian Bar Association) is a voluntary bar organization and serves as an umbrella organization to 25 chapters in the United States and Canada. SABA North America is a recognized forum for professional growth and advancement for South Asian attorneys in North America and seeks to protect the rights and liberties of the South Asian community across the continent. Learn more at www.sabanorthamerica.com.

Neil C. Maskeri

Vice President of Public Relations

South Asian Bar Association of North America

215-255-9180

publicrelations@sabanorthamerica.com

www.sabanorthamerica.com

Announcing the 2014 Public Interest Fellows

SABA DC Communications — Wed, 11 Jun 2014 00:23:46 GMT

After reviewing a number of applications and interviewing the finalists, SABA-DC is happy to announce its Public Interest Fellows for 2014! Due to the number and quality of the applications received this year, SABA-DC has awarded the fellowship to five highly-qualified law school students working in the public interest sector in the Washington, D.C. area this summer. Get to know them here: http://bit.ly/1u3eY4l

Thanks to the support of its law firm and corporate sponsors and individual donors, SABA-DC is able to provide this financial assistance to law school students through its Public Interest Fellowship. Save the date for this year's Public Interest Fellowship Gala on Saturday, December 6, 2014!

SABA-DC Spring 2014 Newsletter released

SABA DC Communications — Mon, 19 May 2014 03:29:12 GMT

SABA-DC's Spring 2014 newsletter highlights happenings in the Washington D.C.'s South Asian legal community. We hope you enjoy reading it and welcome your feedback.

SABA NORTH AMERICA and IABA celebrate Manish Shah's confirmation to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

SABA DC Communications — Mon, 05 May 2014 20:50:13 GMT

CHICAGO (APRIL 30, 2014) – The South Asian Bar Association of (“SABA”) North America and the Indian-American Bar Association of Chicago (IABA) congratulate Manish Shah on his confirmation to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, where he previously served as a law clerk. The Senate approved him unanimously. “Manish Shah’s unanimous confirmation demonstrates, yet again, what an extraordinary pool of talent we have in our community,” stated Nadeem Bezar, President of SABA North America.

“Mr. Shah’s confirmation as the first South Asian American federal judge in Illinois represents another significant milestone for our community. We look forward to his service on the bench and applaud the president and the US Senate for nominating and confirming him,” said Tejas Shah, President of IABA. Judge Shah is the first Article III South Asian judge in Illinois.

Manish Shah currently serves as the Chief of the Criminal Division at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, where he has worked since 2001. His decision to spend almost his entire career in the U.S. Attorney’s office demonstrates a dedication to public service. Additionally, he has given back to new attorneys by teaching at the National Advocacy Center and instructing at a legal aid workshop at the University of Chicago.

Judge Shah received his J.D. with honors from the University of Chicago Law School in 1998, and his B.A. with honors, and with distinction, from Stanford University in 1994. He began his legal career as a Litigation Associate at Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe in San Francisco, CA where he represented clients in commercial and antitrust litigation, and subsequently clerked for Hon. James B. Zagel of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Neil C. Maskeri

Vice President of Public Relations

South Asian Bar Association of North America

________

SABA North America (formerly NASABA/North American South Asian Bar Association) is a voluntary bar organization and serves as an umbrella organization to 26 chapters in the United States and Canada. SABA North America is a recognized forum for professional growth and advancement for South Asian attorneys in North America and seeks to protect the rights and liberties of the South Asian community across the continent. Learn more at www.sabanorthamerica.com

SABA-DC Announces Endorsements for DC Bar Elections

SABA DC Communications — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 01:19:53 GMT

SABA-DC has endorsed the following candidates for the 2014 DC Bar Elections:

DC Bar President: Stephen Glover
DC Bar Treasurer: Sarah Shyr
DC Bar Board of Governors: Keiko K. Takagi, Sergio F. Oehninger
DC Bar ABA delegate: Lucy Thomson

The voting period runs from April 29 to May 23, 2014. SABA-DC members are encouraged to vote. To vote online, please visit: https://www.dcbar.org/vote/?emc=lm&m=167357&l=3&v=57462831

SABA-DC 2014 Public Interest Fellowship Application

SABA DC Communications — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 21:20:30 GMT

Through its Public Interest Fellowship Program, SABA-DC provides financial assistance in the form of summer fellowships to law students working in the public interest sector for the benefit of the South Asian community and the metropolitan D.C. area. Applicants must be current law school students in good standing, and must plan to be employed in the public sector during the summer. Since the Fellowship program’s inception in 2006, SABA-DC has provided almost $40,000 in funding to highly qualified and outstanding law students.

Applications are available at http://bit.ly/SABADCFellowship2014, and must be submitted by April 14 for consideration.

Winter 2013-2014 SABA-DC Newsletter

SABA DC Communications — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 21:10:51 GMT

The SABA-DC Winter Newsletter is here!

We have had some wonderfully exciting times and have many stories to share, from the Winter Public Interest Fellowship Gala, to our Civil & Human Rights Symposium, and a spotlight on the work of SABA-DC member Pratik Shah. Please follow this link to catch up happenings in the SABA-DC community over the past few months.

Fall 2013 SABA-DC Newsletter

SABA DC Communications — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 19:14:01 GMT

Check out our Fall Newsletter, which includes pictures and information from the latter half of this year, including:

- Special events with high profile speakers

- The NASABA Convention in San Francisco

- Fellowship information

- Dinner series

Statement on Anniversary of Oak Creek Shooting

SABA DC Communications — Mon, 05 Aug 2013 18:20:39 GMT

SABA-DC REFLECTS ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF OAK CREEK SHOOTING

On the one year anniversary of the shooting at the Oak Creek, Wisconsin Gurdwara, the South Asian Bar Association, Washington D.C. (SABA-DC) reflects on the events of that tragic day and honors the memory of the victims. On August 5, 2013, six people, Paramjit Kaur, Satwant Singh Kaleka, Prakash Singh, Sita Singh, Ranjit Singh, and Suveg Singh, were shot and killed in their place of worship in an act of hatred and terror.

Following the Oak Creek tragedy, the SABA-DC community came together to support the Oak Creek community and held a fundraiser raising money for the families of the victims. We appreciated the support of the entire SABA-DC community.

Since the attacks of September 11th, 2001, Sikhs, Muslims, Arabs and South Asians have increasingly been the victims of hate crimes and the crime perpetrated at the Oak Creek Gurdwara brought that violence to the forefront of the country's consciousness. Reacting to the community's call for change, the Federal Bureau of Investigation began tracking hate crimes committed against Sikhs, Hindus and Arabs and SABA-DC is encouraged by this recent decision.

As we focus our thoughts on the memory of the victims, we hope that today is a day of peace and reflection for the families of the victims, the Oak Creek community and the South Asian community as a whole.

For a PDF version of this statement, click here: Oak Creek Anniversary_Press Release.pdf

Statement on Senate Immigration Bill

SABA DC Communications — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 12:24:20 GMT

SABA-DC PRAISES PASSAGE OF U.S. SENATE IMMIGRATION BILL

The South Asian Bar Association of Washington D.C. (SABA-DC) praises the United States Senate’s passage of the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act (S. 744) last week, the first step on the path to reforming our faulty immigration system. The Senate voted 68-32 to pass the bill, which provides a road to citizenship for the millions of undocumented immigrants in the United States and contemplates significant changes to the employment and family based immigration systems. However, SABA-DC is concerned about the bill’s proposed limitation of family-based immigration options for U.S. citizens to petition for their siblings and adult married children over the age of 30 and opposes provisions of the bill that may condone and facilitate profiling on the basis of religion or national origin. SABA-DC’s concerns stem from the impact that these measures would have upon the South Asian-American community.

SABA-DC however applauds the U.S. Senate in taking this important first step. In addition to creating a pathway to citizenship for many, the bill also seeks to clear family and employment backlogs, offers greater opportunities, protections and rights for workers, including H-1B workers and their spouses and workers recruited abroad, and provides protection for survivors of domestic violence, crimes, and trafficking. And while the bill does not specifically address the same-sex immigrant couples, based on the recent Supreme Court’s decision striking down the Defense of Marriage Act as unconstitutional, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services will accept family-based visa petitions filed by same sex couples.

The bill has moved on to be considered by the U.S. House of Representatives. We join our umbrella organization, the North American South Asian Bar Association (NASABA), in calling upon the House to take up the Senate legislation and schedule a vote on this important and historic bill.

Spring 2013 SABA Newsletter

SABA DC Communications — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 12:07:41 GMT

Our Spring Newsletter is now available! This edition of the newsletter covers exciting events in the first half of the year, a member spotlight, and information about our Public Interest Fellowship.

2013 Summer Public Interest Fellowship Recipients

SABA DC Communications — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 13:45:39 GMT

Please join SABA-DC in welcoming this year's Summer Public Interest Fellows. We have a very strong group this year, with summer positions in the U.S. Department of State, local D.C. government, and the U.S. Department of Justice.

The primary purpose of the SABA-DC Summer Fellowship Program is to help fund a student’s internship with a public interest organization for the benefit of the South Asian community and the metropolitan D.C. area. This year's class represents a significant expansion in the size of the program. We remain committed to supporting promising law students as they develop their public interest careers.

Sonia Desai

My name is Sonia Desai and I am a third-year law student at The George Washington University Law School. Prior to law school, I served as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer in Botswana for two years, where I assisted the Ministry of Education in the implementation of a national life skills education pilot program in the government schools. I graduated from the University of Miami, cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, with majors in International Studies and Political Science, and minors in English and Ecosystem Science and Policy.

This summer, I will be interning at the Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor at the U.S. Department of State. In particular, I will be a Program Intern at the Office of Global Programs, where I will work to promote international legal standards for human rights through assignments that involve research and evaluation of complex democracy and international human rights issues and ensuring adequate oversight of legal assistance instruments. Through this internship, I hope to learn more about and gain experience with the practical utilization of international legal instruments by the U.S. government and the intersection between human rights law and international assistance.

Navneet Jaswal

Originally from St. Louis, MO, I attended Saint Louis University where I majored in Political Science, International Studies and Women’s Studies. At SLU, I was the Pre-Law Department’s coordinator for community service and was lucky enough to help facilitate programs such as “ Missouri Youth In Government” and “Project Citizen” with local high school students. I ultimately earned masters degree at SLU in Political Science with a concentration in Law, Culture, and Politics. Prior to beginning law school, I spent two years serving as a Teach For America Corps Member, during which I received my teaching certification and taught 2nd, 4th, and 5th grade for the Saint Louis Public Schools District.

Recently, I completed my first year at The George Washington University Law School and will be working for the D.C. Rental Housing Commission this summer where I hope to hone my legal research and writing skills through drafting decisions regarding appeals to the agency.

Keerat Panu

My name is Keerat Pannu and I am a second year law student at George Mason University School of Law. I grew up in northern Virginia and attended college at Georgetown University. Upon graduating from law school I hope to pursue a career as a civil rights attorney. My interest in civil rights began when I interned for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund during college. Through this experience I was exposed to the power of a legal education. The attorneys I worked with had the ability to change the civil rights landscape, even history, and I was determined to follow in their footsteps. Since then I have pursued my passion for public service, and civil rights in particular, by interning with Chancellor Rhee at D.C. Public Schools, the Alliance for Excellent Education, and the White House.

This summer, I will be interning with the Office of General Counsel at the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), U.S. Department of Justice. EOIR’s mission is to adjudicate immigration cases by fairly, expeditiously, and uniformly interpreting and administering the Nation’s immigration laws. EOIR conducts immigration court proceedings, appellate reviews, and administrative hearings. These cases involve detained aliens, criminal aliens, and aliens seeking asylum as a form of relief from removal. During my internship with the EOIR, I will assist the Associate General Counsels with their work. The General Counsels work on the development of agency regulations, review and comment on proposed legislation, and respond to Freedom of Information and Privacy Act requests. They also administer EOIR’s Attorney Discipline Program and the Fraud Program, and coordinate EOIR’s involvement in litigation. Through this internship, I hope to gain a better understanding of immigration law and legal policymaking in the field of immigration.

Sri Srinivasan Nomination Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee

SABA DC Communications — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:18:12 GMT

Yesterday, the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved Sri Srinivasan, President Obama's appointee to the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. If confirmed by the full Senate, Srinivasan would be the first South Asian American to sit on a US Court of Appeals.

The Judiciary Committee also approved the nomination of Ray Chen to the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Currently there are 19 Asian American Article III judges. Two are on the US Court of Appeals – Denny Chin (2d Cir.) and Jacqueline Nguyen (9th Cir.).

Srinivasan and Chen will be put on the Senate Executive Calendar and will be eligible for Senate floor vote for confirmation. Currently, there is only one circuit court nominee in the queue waiting for confirmation. Srinvasan will be the second on the list, followed by Chen.

May is APA Heritage Month and the Asian American community is asking Senators Reid and McConnell to bring Srinivasan’s nomination to the floor before Memorial Day. The community has been very successful in getting our Circuit Court nominees confirmed in May. Last year Ninth Circuit Judge Jacqueline Nguyen was confirmed in May 2012 and we celebrated the confirmation of the first Asian American woman to the US Court of Appeals.

SABA-DC 2013 Washington D.C. Bar Association Endorsements

SABA DC Communications — Thu, 02 May 2013 00:49:55 GMT

DC BAR 2013 ENDORSEMENTS

SABA-DC Membership,

The election process for the DC Bar leadership is currently underway. SABA-DC has received requests for endorsements from a number of the candidates and has reviewed the materials provided by these candidates. Based on our review of their qualifications, experience, leadership ability, and receptiveness to the needs of the South Asian legal community, SABA-DC is endorsing the candidates listed below for the DC Bar.

We recommend that, when submitting your vote for the DC Bar elective office, you cast your vote for the candidates listed below. We are happy to answer any questions you may have about our endorsement process or our decision to endorse these particular candidates.

Ballots will be distributed by mail and electronically on April 30, and voting ends on May 24. For more information, please visit www.dcbar.org

SABA-DC endorses the following candidates running for D.C. Bar elective office:

D.C. Bar President-Elect

Lorelie S. Masters

Treasurer

Morton J. Posner

Board of Governors

Stephen I. Glover

Jonathan K. Tycko

Senate Releases Immigration Bill

SABA DC Communications — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 23:30:44 GMT

The Senate's "Gang of Eight" has released its immigration bill. Read a summary here, and read its full text here.

REMINDER: Public Interest Fellowship Applications Due 4/12

SABA DC Communications — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:54:08 GMT

SABA-DC has extended the deadline for the Summer Public Interest Fellowship. Applications are due TOMORROW. Any current law student who plans to work in public interest in the Washington, D.C. metro area is eligible. Apply today!

High Turnout at Srinivasan Hearing

SABA DC Communications — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:44:44 GMT

This picture from the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus' Facebook page show a packed room for yesterday's Senate hearing on the appointment of Sri Srinivasan to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

See SABA-DC's statement on the Srinivasan nomination here, and NASABA's statement here.