South Asian Bar Association of Washington DC

South Asian Bar Association of Washington DC SABA-DC is a voluntary bar association dedicated to the needs, concerns, and interests of the South The South Asian Bar Association of Washington, D.C. area.

(SABA-DC) is a voluntary bar association dedicated to the needs, concerns, and interests of the South Asian American legal community in the Washington, D.C. SABA-DC was founded in 2001 as the successor to the Indian-American Bar Association of Washington D.C. (IABA-DC). SABA-DC's key objectives are to:

Advance the professional development of South Asian American lawyers and law students;

Provide a forum for professional and social networking;

Increase awareness and dialogue regarding legal issues concerning South Asian Americans;

Improve access to legal services for the South Asian American community, particularly among the least fortunate; and

Promote a greater understanding of the legal, political, economic, and cultural environment of South Asia. In pursuit of these objectives, SABA-DC regularly organizes panels, conferences, receptions, community outreach efforts, public service projects, mentoring programs, political awareness campaigns, networking events and a variety of other activities.

A huge thank you to our Gold Sponsors: Mayer Brown, Orrick, and Troutman Pepper LockeAs we celebrate 25 years of SABA-DC...
09/15/2026

A huge thank you to our Gold Sponsors: Mayer Brown, Orrick, and Troutman Pepper Locke

As we celebrate 25 years of SABA-DC, we are grateful to our sponsors for helping us advance our mission, support the South Asian legal community, and make this milestone celebration possible.

We look forward to celebrating with you on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum!

A huge thank you to our Gold Sponsors: Akin Gump, Mayer Brown, Orrick, and Troutman Pepper LockeAs we celebrate 25 years...
09/15/2026

A huge thank you to our Gold Sponsors: Akin Gump, Mayer Brown, Orrick, and Troutman Pepper Locke

As we celebrate 25 years of SABA-DC, we are grateful to our sponsors for helping us advance our mission, support the South Asian legal community, and make this milestone celebration possible.

We look forward to celebrating with you on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum! Ticket link in bio!

We’re proud to honor Nitin Shah as the recipient of SABA-DC’s 2026 Private Sector Trailblazer Award!As Head of Global Re...
09/14/2026

We’re proud to honor Nitin Shah as the recipient of SABA-DC’s 2026 Private Sector Trailblazer Award!

As Head of Global Regulatory Affairs and Privacy at Shopify, Nitin leads government litigation, regulatory response, and enforcement of the company’s platform rules. His distinguished career spans both the public and private sectors, including service as General Counsel of the U.S. General Services Administration, Legal Director for the Biden-Harris Transition Team, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Division, and an attorney in DOJ’s Office of Legal Counsel.

Throughout his career, Nitin has demonstrated exceptional leadership at the intersection of law, government, technology, and public service. We are thrilled to recognize his accomplishments and contributions to the legal community.

Join us in celebrating Nitin and all of our 2026 award recipients at SABA-DC’s 18th Annual Public Interest Benefit Gala, as we celebrate 25 years of SABA-DC!

Saturday, September 26, 2026 | 6:30 PM
Smithsonian National Postal Museum

SABA-DC is proud to recognize Kalyan Deshpande as the recipient of our 2026 Public Sector Trailblazer Award!Kalyan serve...
09/11/2026

SABA-DC is proud to recognize Kalyan Deshpande as the recipient of our 2026 Public Sector Trailblazer Award!

Kalyan serves as Chief Judge of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) at the United States Patent and Trademark Office, where he leads the PTAB in adjudicating post-grant proceedings and appeals from patent examiner decisions. Since joining the PTAB in 2008, he has held numerous leadership roles and has helped shape several of the Board’s most significant programs and processes.

Throughout his distinguished public-service career, Kalyan has also championed initiatives to develop the next generation of patent practitioners and public servants, including the Legal Experience and Advancement Program (LEAP) and the PTAB’s Judicial Law Clerk Program.

We are thrilled to honor Kalyan for his exceptional leadership, innovation, and commitment to public service.

Join us in celebrating Kalyan at the SABA-DC Public Interest Gala on September 26 at 6:30 PM at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum.

We’re proud to recognize Axinn as a Platinum Sponsor of SABA-DC’s 18th Annual Public Interest Benefit Gala and 25th Anni...
09/10/2026

We’re proud to recognize Axinn as a Platinum Sponsor of SABA-DC’s 18th Annual Public Interest Benefit Gala and 25th Anniversary Celebration.

For 25 years, SABA-DC has worked to strengthen the South Asian legal community in the Washington, D.C. area through mentorship, professional development, community engagement, and public interest initiatives. Support from our sponsors helps make that work possible.

Thank you to Axinn for supporting SABA-DC and helping us celebrate this milestone year.

Join us for the celebration!! Tickets on sale now!!! Link in bio!

Saturday, September 26, 2026 | 6:30 PM
Smithsonian National Postal Museum

SABA-DC is proud to introduce our 2026 Public Interest Fellows: Sofia Bhalwani, Padmavathi Ganduri, and Rafiya Naqvi.The...
09/10/2026

SABA-DC is proud to introduce our 2026 Public Interest Fellows: Sofia Bhalwani, Padmavathi Ganduri, and Rafiya Naqvi.

The SABA-DC Public Interest Fellowship supports law students and recent graduates pursuing careers in public interest and government service in the Washington, D.C. region through financial support, mentorship, and opportunities to engage with our professional community.

We congratulate Sofia, Padmavathi, and Rafiya on their selection and look forward to supporting them as they continue their commitment to public service.

Join us in celebrating our fellows at the 2026 SABA-DC Gala on September 26 at 6:30 PM at the National Postal Museum.

Meet SABA-DC’s 2026 Public Interest Fellows: Sofia Bhalwani, Padmavathi Ganduri, and Rafiya Naqvi.Through the SABA-DC Pu...
09/10/2026

Meet SABA-DC’s 2026 Public Interest Fellows: Sofia Bhalwani, Padmavathi Ganduri, and Rafiya Naqvi.

Through the SABA-DC Public Interest Fellowship, we are proud to support the next generation of South Asian attorneys pursuing careers in public interest and government service in the Washington, D.C. region.

Congratulations to Sofia, Padmavathi, and Rafiya on their selection and commitment to public service.

Join us in celebrating our fellows and the SABA-DC community at the 2026 SABA-DC Gala on September 26 at 6:30 PM at the National Postal Museum.

SABA-DC is proud to recognize Ashwin P. Phatak as the recipient of our 2026 Rising Star Award!Ashwin serves as Principal...
09/08/2026

SABA-DC is proud to recognize Ashwin P. Phatak as the recipient of our 2026 Rising Star Award!

Ashwin serves as Principal Deputy Solicitor General in the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, where he helps oversee appellate litigation for the District government and has supervised more than 1,000 cases. His distinguished career has also included roles at the Constitutional Accountability Center and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel.

Beyond his impressive legal career, Ashwin is an active mentor in the legal community, including with The Appellate Project and SABA-DC.

We are thrilled to honor Ashwin for his outstanding accomplishments, leadership, and commitment to the community.

Join us in celebrating Ashwin at the SABA-DC Public Interest Gala on September 26 at 6:30 PM at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum.

SABA-DC is proud to recognize Nandu Machiraju as the recipient of our 2026 Community Leader Award!Nandu is Senior Vice P...
09/04/2026

SABA-DC is proud to recognize Nandu Machiraju as the recipient of our 2026 Community Leader Award!

Nandu is Senior Vice President & Deputy General Counsel at the National Association of Broadcasters and an Adjunct Professor of Law at Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law. His distinguished career has also included roles as a partner at Baker McKenzie LLP and more than seven years at the Federal Trade Commission.

Nandu has been an integral part of the SABA community, previously serving as President, President-Elect, Vice President of Programming, and General Director of SABA-DC. He currently serves as a Trustee of the SABA North America Foundation.

We are thrilled to honor Nandu for his leadership, service, and longstanding commitment to our community.

Join us in celebrating Nandu at the SABA-DC Public Interest Gala on September 26 at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum. Tickets are on sale now!!

We’re proud to announce the awardees for SABA-DC’s 18th Annual Public Interest Benefit Gala!As we celebrate 25 years of ...
09/01/2026

We’re proud to announce the awardees for SABA-DC’s 18th Annual Public Interest Benefit Gala!

As we celebrate 25 years of SABA-DC, we are honored to recognize four outstanding leaders whose accomplishments and contributions exemplify excellence and leadership across the legal profession:

Community Leader Award
Nandu Machiraju, Deputy General Counsel, National Association of Broadcasters

Rising Star Award
Ashwin Phatak, Principal Deputy Solicitor General, Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia

Public Sector Trailblazer Award
Kalyan Deshpande, Chief Administrative Judge, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Private Sector Trailblazer Award
Nitin Shah, Head of Global Regulatory Affairs and Privacy, Shopify

Join us in celebrating our awardees and this milestone year for SABA-DC at our gala!

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1875 I St NW
Washington D.C., DC
20006

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