ABOUT US

Our Mission & Vision

The South Asian Bar Association of North America (SABA-NA) seeks to strengthen the rapidly growing South Asian legal community with a recognized and trusted forum for professional growth and development, and promotes the civil rights and access to justice for the South Asian community.

With 29 chapters throughout the United States and Canada, our attorneys work in all areas of the law, including large law firms, in-house counsel, government attorneys, and solo practitioners. Our bar hosts an Annual Conference, annual Lobby Day and numerous other successful programs throughout the year.

SABA North America is proud to be the voice of the South Asian legal community in North America.

Our Commitment to Inclusion

WE ARE INCLUSIVE and take pride at SABA North America in being an organization that warmly welcomes individuals from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We believe that varied perspectives enrich our community and strengthen our collective mission. Whether you're looking to connect, collaborate, or contribute, you’ll find a supportive and inclusive environment with us.

Our goals and objectives include...

Professional Growth

Diversity and Inclusion

Civil Rights

Access to Justice

Executive Committee

Keerthi Sugumaran

President

SABA Greater Boston

Nishi Kothari

President-Elect

SABA Houston

Rahul Ranadive

Treasurer

SABA Florida

Nandita Ruchandani

Secretary

SABA Connecticut

Deep Singh Badhesha

VP - Annual Conference

SABA Colorado

Charan Brahma

VP - Sponsorship

SABA Northern California

Krithika Rajkumar

VP - Public Relations

SABA Greater Boston

Rashmi Chandra

VP - Membership

SABA Connecticut

Rachna Malkana

VP - Affiliate Relations

SABA New Jersey

Lalitha Alladi

VP - Professional Development

SABA Flordia/SABA Georgia

Rahil Darbar

VP - Programming

SABA New Jersey

Madiha Merchant

VP - Young Lawyers Division

SABA Georgia

President

The President of the Association shall be the chief executive officer of the Association and shall, subject to the approval of the Board, have general supervision, direction and control of the business and Officers of the Association. The President shall preside at the Annual Conference of the Association and at each meeting of the Board. The President shall be deemed a member of each of the standing committees of the Association and shall have such other powers and duties as may be prescribed by the Board or the Bylaws.

President Elect

The President-Elect of the Association shall appear on behalf of the Association whenever requested to do so by the President and shall serve in place of the President whenever the President is unable to perform his or her duties or whenever the President requests that the President-Elect so act. At the direction of the Board, the President-Elect shall also handle special projects for the Association. The President-Elect, together with the VP-Annual Conference, shall be responsible for coordinating matters related to the planning of the annual conference of the Association. The President-Elect shall be the President of the Association for the term following his or her term as President-Elect.

Secretary

The Secretary shall keep, or cause to be kept, at the principal office or such other place as the Board may designate, a book of minutes for all of the meetings of Board, (a) stating the time and place at which such meeting was held; (b) stating whether such meeting was a regular meeting or a special meeting; (c) recording the names of those Directors’ present at such meetings and (d) summarizing the proceedings of such meetings. The Secretary shall keep, or cause to be kept, at the principal office of the Association, a membership register recording the name of each Chapter of the Association. The Secretary shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the Board required by the Bylaws or by Law to be given. He or she shall safeguard the seal of the Association and shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board or the by these Bylaws.

Treasurer

The Treasurer shall keep and maintain, or cause to be kept and maintained, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, adequate and correct accounts of the properties and business transactions of the Association, including accounts of its assets, liabilities, receipts, disbursements, gains, and losses. The books of account shall at all reasonable times be open to inspection by any Director. The Treasurer shall deposit all monies and other valuables in the name and to the credit of the Association with such depositories as may be designated by the Board. He or she shall disburse the funds of the Association as may be ordered by the Board; shall render to the President and Directors, whenever they request it, an account of all of his or her transactions and of the financial condition of the Association; and shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board or the Bylaws.

Vice President - Membership

The Vice President - Membership shall be responsible, under the direction of the Board, (i) for communications with the Chapters of the Association and prospective Chapters of the Association and (ii) for communications with the Members of the Association and prospective individual members of the Association. The Vice President – Membership shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as from time to time may be prescribed by the Board or these Bylaws.

Vice President - Affiliate Relations

The Vice President - Affiliate Relations shall be responsible, under the direction of the Board, for coordinating the Association’s external relations with national and local bar associations sharing common interests and goals with the Association. The Vice President – Affiliate Relations shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as from time to time may be prescribed by the Board or these Bylaws.

Vice President - Public Relations

The Vice President of Public Relations shall be responsible, under the direction of the Board, for coordinating and producing the Association’s newsletter, with the assistance of the Association’s Executive Director and Executive Assistant, and oversight of the Association’s website, email correspondence and social media, as well as coordinating the Association’s external relations with the media and other organizations. The Vice President –– Public Relations shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as from time to time may be prescribed by the Board or these Bylaws.

Vice President - Programming

The Vice President – Programming shall be responsible, under the direction of the Board, for coordinating the various programming for the Association, including, but not limited to, digital or virtual programming (i.e., support for the Webinar Series) and general programming (i.e., support for the Corporate Counsel College, Corporate Counsel Retreat, and working in conjunction with the VP – Conference for the Annual Conference programming). The Vice President – Programming may, at the discretion of the President and the Executive Committee create and appoint members, that he or she will oversee, to a programming committee dedicated to digital, virtual and/or general programming. The Vice President – Programming shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as from time to time may be prescribed by the Board or the Bylaws.

Vice President - Professional Development

The Vice President – Professional Development shall be responsible, under the direction of the Board, for coordinating various initiatives designed to promote the professional growth and development of the Association’s members. Such initiatives include, but are not limited to, oversight of the SABA Leadership Institute (“SLI”), SABA Cares and SABA Wellness. The Vice President –Professional Development shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as from time to time may be prescribed by the Board or the Bylaws.

Vice President - Advocacy (United States)

The Vice President – Advocacy (United States) shall be responsible, under the direction of the Board, for coordinating the Association’s external relations with U.S. national and local community-based organizations sharing common interests and goals with the Association. The Vice President – Advocacy (United States) shall also provide support to the Advocacy Committee, the Racial Justice Task Force, Lobby Day, and to other committees, such as judicial and political nominations, as appropriate. The Vice President – Advocacy (United States) shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as from time to time may be prescribed by the Board or these Bylaws.

Vice President - Advocacy (Canada)

The Vice President – Advocacy (Canada) shall be responsible, under the direction of the Board, for coordinating the Association’s external relations with Canadian national and local community-based organizations sharing common interests and goals with the Association. The Vice President – Advocacy (Canada) shall also provide support to the Advocacy Committee, the Racial Justice Task Force, and to other committees, such as judicial and political nominations, as appropriate. The Vice President – Advocacy (Canada) shall have the ability to form their own Advocacy Committee to effectuate the goals of SABA North America and in line with their duties. The Vice President – Advocacy (Canada) shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as from time to time may be prescribed by the Board or these Bylaws.

Vice President - Sponsorship

Vice President - Young Lawyers Division

The Vice President -Young Lawyers Division Chair (“Vice President – YLD”) shall be responsible, under the direction of the Board, for representing the Association and the Association’s Young Lawyers Division as a delegate to the Council and Assembly of the American Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division (“SABA-YLD”). The Vice President - YLD shall also preside over the meetings and activities of the Association’s Young Lawyers Division, including the selection of a Young Lawyers Division member to serve as the Association’s second representative to the ABA-YLD Assembly. The Vice President - YLD shall also oversee outreach and programming for new and junior lawyers, including coordination with NASALSA or any recognized law school chapter thereof. The Vice President - YLD shall serve a two-year term each and shall be required to attend all scheduled meetings of the ABA-YLD to represent the Association’s interests. The Vice President - YLD shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as from time to time may be prescribed by the Board or these Bylaws.

SABA Team

Mona Shah

Executive Director

Sucharita Varanasi

Pro Bono Co-Director

Ghammam Mansoor

Policy & Communications Lead, Executive Assistant

Tejas Shah

Pro Bono Co-Director

KPPB Law

Outside General Counsel

President's Page

Letter from the President

Dear SABA North America Family and Friends,

I am honored to serve as the 22^nd President of the South Asian Bar Association of North America (“SABA North America”). This is an exciting time to be working with SABA North America, as the organization continues to reach new heights.

In my first newsletter, I want to take a moment to: (1) acknowledge a few individuals; (2) recap the Toronto conference; (3) highlight our new Executive Committee and share our plans for the year; and (4) spotlight recent and upcoming events.

Acknowledgements

SABA North America had an incredible year, which would not have been possible without the hard work, dedication, and leadership of a few key individuals. Particularly, I would like to thank Charan Brahma (Immediate Past President) for his leadership. Charan has left an indelible mark on the organization, especially with respect to our advocacy and endorsement efforts. As a leader, Charan stood out for his ability to bring out the best in his team and ensured everyone had a voice. I am happy to report that Charan is not going too far—he will be staying on as VP of Sponsorship this year!

I also want to thank the 2023-2024 Executive Committee for their hard work and leadership. While several individuals are continuing this year, we will miss those who decided to roll off and thank them for their dedication to SABA North America: Gopi Panchapakesan (Immediate Past VP of Professional Development), Vani Vedam (Immediate Past Secretary), and Aaron Bains (Immediate Past VP of Conference).

And, of course, nothing is possible without Mona Shah (Executive Director), Ghammam Mansoor (Policy & Communication Lead, Executive Assistant), and Latika Solanki (Administrative Assistant). They work tirelessly to support the organization, and we are indebted to them for all that they do to keep SABA North America running. This year, they really helped improve and streamline our processes, so that the organization could run more efficiently. Kudos to this incredible team for all that they do!

Conference Recap

Last month, SABA North America held its Annual Conference in Toronto, Canada, themed “Passport to the Future”. The conference was attended by over 800 attendees from the United States, Canada, and even France! The Steering Committee’s meticulous planning was evident in all aspects of the conference. Before jumping into the details, I would like to acknowledge our incredibly talented team, including Aaron Bains (VP of Conference) and the Conference Steering Committee members Annie Tayyab, Devin Persaud, Mona Shah, Asker Saeed, and Charan Brahma. In addition to these individuals, we had an army of volunteers who helped with Programming, Pitch Program, Social Events, and logistics. We are grateful for the contributions of all these individuals, as well as our fabulous event planning team led by Acuity Events.

The Annual Conference featured four days of events where attendees networked with each other, reconnected with friends, participated in professional development opportunities, and learned from our legal scholars and luminaries. We kicked of the events with a pre-conference Boat Cruise hosted by SABA Toronto, which offered stunning views of Lake Ontario and the Toronto skyline.

On Thursday, the full SABA North America Board convened bright and early for its quarterly meeting. We then facilitated a Corporate Counsel Summit for in-house attendees at the offices of Norton Rose, re-launched our South Asian Women’s Attorney Network (SAWAN) with a new pipeline initiative at the offices of Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, and hosted several receptions, including the YLD/First Time Attendee Reception, the Welcome Reception (Co-sponsored by Benesch and Aird & Berlis), and the SLI Reception. We capped off the evening with a karaoke and talent titled: That’s my JAMS: SABA’s Got Talent (Sponsored by JAMS)!

On Friday and Saturday, we jumped into our CLE programs, which covered cutting edge issues and timely topics, including Unpacking SCOTUS 2024, Decoding Workplace Investigations Involving Workplace Issues, The Transformative & Ethical Implications of Artificial Intelligence, Breaking the Stigma of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Canada & the US – Facilitating Cross-Border Investment, Where Are We and Where Are We Headed: Immigration Policy & Trends in the United States and Canada, What Can the Canadian and America Criminal Justice Systems Learn from Each Other, Grappling with Employment Ramifications of Free Speech, and so much more!

Our esteemed panelists included, but were not limited to, the Honorable Sunil Harjani (N.D. Illinois), Amol Sinha (Executive Director – ACLU of New Jersey), Amrith Aakre (Director, EEOC), Av Maharaj (General Counsel, The Kraft Heinz Company), Christian Nauvel (Deputy Chief Counsel for Corporate Enforcement, National Security Division of the DOJ), Imran Kamal (Crown Counsel for the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General), Justice Hafeez S. Amarshi (Ontario Court of Justice), Justice Ranjan K. Agarwal (Ontario Court of Justice), Raj Parekh (First Assistant United States Attorney), Rustam Juma (General Counsel & Corporate Secretary – Volkswagen), Vikas Khanna (First Assistant United States Attorney), and Taslenna Shairulla (Chief Privacy Officer and Senior Counsel – Capital One Canada).

On Friday evening, we held receptions for our Intellectual Property Section (Sponsored by Pallet Valo), the Fin Tech Section (Sponsored by Orrick), a Welcome to Canada Reception hosted by the Canadian Chapters, and a Corporate Counsel Reception sponsored by Kraft-Heinzevening festivities were capped off by the SABA Foundation’s signature benefit entitled “A Night Under the Stars,” which featured comedian Rajiv Satyal and Hero Award Winner Qusair Mohamedbhai (Employment Discrimination & Civil Rights Attorney, Rathod | Mohamedbhai LLC).

On Saturday, the Honorable Sunil Harjani presided over the induction of the new Executive Committee. Afterwards, we were treated to a moderated discussion entitled “From the Courtroom to the Oscars”, which provided an inside look into the Oscar winning documentary “To Kill a Tiger”, moderated by Justice Davin Garg (Ontario Court of Justice), and featuring Director Nisha Pahuja (Academy Award & Emmy Nominated Filmmaker) and Beesham Seecharan (COO & General Counsel, Matthews South), supporter of the production, and Producer Ena Chadha (Chair, Human Rights Legal Support Centre).

We closed out the conference with the gala, which featured a keynote from Justice Mahmud Jamal, Supreme Court of Canada and the recipient of the Pioneer Award, as well as farewell remarks from Charan. The gala closed out with a riveting concert by Raghav!

If you were unable to attend this year, or you are already planning for the next conference, please save the date: June 19-21, 2025, in Denver, Colorado.

Our New Executive Committee & Upcoming Plans

I am so pleased to introduce the 2024-2025 Executive Committee.

President: Keerthi Sugumaran
President-Elect: Nishi Kothari
Secretary: Nandita Ruchandani
Treasurer: Rahul Ranadive
VP of Membership: Rashmi Chandra
VP of Public Relations: Krithika Rajkumar
VP of Affiliate Relations: Rachna B. Malkana
VP of Programming: Rahil Darbar
VP of Professional Development: Lalitha Alladi
VP of Advocacy: Akanksha Gupta
VP of Sponsorship: Charanjit Brahma
VP of Young Lawyers Division: Madiha Merchant
VP of Conference: Perdeep Badhesha

Over the years, I have had the opportunity to get to know each of these individuals and I am incredibly excited to work with them this year. Their talent and dedication to SABA North America will undoubtedly lead to great things this year. On behalf of the entire Executive Committee, we are ready to roll up our sleeves and are eager to serve our community! As the year progresses, please reach out to us with your ideas and feedback. And please get involved – this organization is driven by the passion of our volunteers, and we are happy to have your support!

To that end, I am happy to announce that we will be kicking off a strategic planning initiative focused on enhancing our funding; building out our leadership, staff and programming; and expanding our advocacy over the next few years. We will continue to report on our progress with a goal of completing the plan by the end of the SABA North America fiscal year.

We are already planning programming for the next year, including a critical Get Out the Vote Initiative aimed at highlighting our core advocacy issues! We are also looking forward to our 3^rd Annual Corporate Counsel Retreat in Charlotte, North Carolina from January 25–27, 2025.

Event Spotlight

We recently co-sponsored a SABA Judicial Panel event with SABANY and Jones Day, featuring the Honorable Diane Gujarati (E.D.N.Y), the Honorable Nusrat J. Choudhury (E.D.N.Y.); the Honorable Sanket J. Bulsara (E.D.N.Y); and the Honorable Arun Subramanian (S.D.N.Y).

Our leadership retreat is scheduled to take place on October 11–13, 2024, in Houston, TX. Thank you to SABA-Houston for planning and organizing this exciting event.

I look forward to seeing many of you at these events in the coming months!

I hope this update provides at least a small glimpse of all the exciting things happening at SABA North America and our chapters. Until our next update, be well and please do not hesitate to reach out!