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Mission Statement |
The South Asian Bar Association of Washington, D.C. (SABA-DC) is a voluntary bar association dedicated to the needs, concerns, and interests of the South Asian legal community in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. 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 lawyers and law students in the D.C. metropolitan area;
- Provide a forum for professional and social networking;
- Increase awareness and dialogue regarding legal issues facing South Asians in the United States;
- Improve access to legal services for the South Asian community in the D.C. metropolitan area, particularly among the least fortunate; and
- Promote a greater understanding of the legal, political, economic, and cultural environment of South Asia and its people.
Board of Directors |
 | President sabadcpresident@gmail.com Deb Sengupta is Counsel in the Intellectual Property and Technology practice of Dentons. Deb's practice focuses on the chemical, pharmaceutical and nanotechnology areas, including counseling, preparation and prosecution of domestic and international patent applications, patent infringement and validity opinions. Deb received her J.D. from the George Washington University Law School, where she served as the President of the GW Law Chapter of the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund. Deb received her Ph.D. in Chemistry from Cornell University. Deb was recognized as a 202 Rising Star by SABA North America, and was a 2021 LCLD Fellow and a 2020 NAPABA Leadership Advancement Program Fellow Deb has a long history of volunteer service in the D.C. community, and is a Board member of the Constellation Theatre Company. |
| President-Elect Ravi Kambhampaty Ravi Kambhampaty is an Attorney at the Department of Justice (DOJ), in the National Security Division. Ravi also serves as a Judge Advocate in the U.S. Army Reserves and previously served overseas on Active Duty in Eastern Afghanistan, Bogota, Colombia, and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Prior to joining the DOJ, Ravi was an Associate General Counsel with the Inter-American Foundation, an independent federal agency that provides direct foreign assistance to the organized poor in Latin America and the Caribbean. Before moving to the Washington D.C. area, Ravi was a Senior Staff- Attorney with Immigration Legal Services of Long Island, a non-profit organization in New York. Ravi has previously served as a chair or co-chair of SABA-DC's Public Interest, Public Interest Fellowship, Mentorship, and Government Committees. He is a co-chair of SABA-North America (SABA-NA)'s Military Law Section (a 2021 program of the year award recipient), and is a graduate of the SABA-NA leadership institute. Ravi received his J.D. from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, where he participated in the Law School's International Law Clinic, and spent his last semester working on Human Rights issues in Windhoek, Namibia. Ravi received his B.A., Summa Cum Laude, in Political Science and History from the State University of New York at Binghamton. |
| Vice President of Communications Kirti Suri joined the SABA-DC Board in 2022. Kirti is an Assistant Attorney General in the Government Contracts Section of the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia. She developed her background in government contracts and procurement through her role with DC At-Large Councilmember Robert White as Deputy Committee Director for the Committee on Government Operations and Facilities. She is passionate about local government's role in improving the lives of District residents. Before beginning her legal career, Kirti gained experience in the nonprofit and corporate sectors, having held positions at American University as a Program Coordinator and J.P. Morgan Chase as a Senior Associate. Kirti earned her J.D. from American University Washington College of Law in 2018 and her B.S. in Accounting and Finance from the University of Delaware in 2012. |
| Vice President of Membership Khatija Choudhry is an Associate in the Business and Transactions practice of Ballard Spahr. Khatija's practice focuses on middle market mergers and acquisitions. Prior to joining Ballard, Khatija practiced as a corporate attorney in Wisconsin. Khatija is committed to pro bono work, community outreach and education. She works with organizations such as the Eviction Defense Project and Seed Spot to address these issues. Khatija received her J.D. from Marquette University Law School and her B.S. from Winona State University. |
Vice President of Gala Aseem Chipalkatti |
| Treasurer Amal Rafiq is an associate attorney at Vedder Price P.C. in Washington, D.C. where she specializes in employee benefits and executive compensation. Amal received her J.D. from Temple University Beasley School of Law in Philadelphia, PA where she was president of the South Asian Law Students Association, and her B.A. in Psychology from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. |
 | Secretary Anupma Sahay Anupma Sahay is an associate attorney at Reed Smith. Her practices focuses on patent preparation and prosecution in the mechanical arts. Anupma also advises on patent portfolio strategy and has prepared filings for post-patent grant proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Anupma received her J.D. from the Temple University Beasley School of Law and her B.S. and M.S. in mechanical engineering and mechanics from Drexel University. |
| General Director Snehal is the principal of SPM Law, LLC. where she practices all aspects of family law. Prior to launching her own firm, she worked as an associate at two prominent family law firms in the Baltimore area. She also argued a case in the Court of Special Appeals in 2019, which resulted in a published opinion by the intermediate appellate court. Snehal received her J.D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law in 2015. After law school, Snehal gained invaluable experience when she served as a law clerk to the Honorable Ronald A. Silkworth (Ret.) at the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County, Maryland. She currently also serves on the board of Christalis, Inc., a non-profit organization that develops and maintains programs to aid underserved children and families in various parts of the world. |
| General Director Devika Persaud is a litigation associate at DLA Piper LLP, where she focuses on trademark and copyright litigation in federal court and proceedings before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB). Prior to focusing on intellectual property, Devika worked on general complex commercial litigation and dispute resolution matters in areas including securities and structured finance, consumer financial services, product liability, bankruptcy, and breach of contract. Devika received her J.D. from The University of Michigan Law School, where she was a faculty research assistant, the president of the South Asian Law Students Association, and a student participant in the Urban Communities Clinic based in Detroit. She received her B.A. in political science and public policy from The University of Chicago. |
| General Director Avni is Senior Counsel for Labor & Employment at Proterra Inc, a leader in the design and manufacture of zero-emission electric transit vehicles and EV technology. Prior to this role, Avni worked at a boutique employment law firm in Washington, DC and as a Trial Attorney for the U.S. Department of Labor, litigating complex employment matters throughout the country. Avni is committed to pro bono work, community outreach, and education. In her free time, she works with organizations that address issues such as homelessness, and immigration. Avni received her J.D. from Suffolk University Law School and her B.B.A from the University of Georgia. |
| General Director Jomy J. Methipara, Partner at Dickinson Wright PLLC, is a business attorney who advises entrepreneurs, business executives and general counsel on corporate and securities law matters such as corporate formation and structuring, mergers and acquisitions, contract negotiations, and efforts to raise capital. Mr. Methipara is also well experienced in intellectual property law matters, specifically patents. Mr. Methipara represents clients including Fortune 500 companies, startup companies, technology companies, and individual inventors before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). |
| General Director Asha Scielzo (she/her/hers) Asha Scielzo serves as the Director of the nationally ranked Health Law and Policy Program at American University Washington College of Law. She teaches a variety of experiential and innovative courses on the topics of health care fraud and abuse, corporate compliance, governance, digital health, and health care business transactions. Asha is also deeply committed to mentoring law students and junior lawyers to support them in developing rewarding and impactful careers. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors of the South Asian Bar Association of Washington, D.C., Asha serves on the Board of Directors of the American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, a nonprofit educational organization with the mission of providing high-quality scholarship, debate, and critical thought for professionals at the intersection of law, medicine, and ethics. She is also privileged to serve as the President-Elect Designate of the American Health Law Association (the nation’s largest, 501(c)(3) educational organization devoted to legal issues in the health care field). She brings over 20 years of health care industry experience (including 15 years of large law firm practice) to the law school. Asha received her J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center and her B.S. from the University of Pennsylvania. |
| General Director Manasi Raveendran Manasi has worked in roles in government and as in-house counsel, advising on government oversight and investigations as well as counselling businesses on various issues, including anti-corruption regulations and cybersecurity. Manasi is passionate about giving back to her community and has participated in bar service through the American Bar Association (ABA) and now through SABA-DC. Manasi received her J.D. from the University of Notre Dame Law School and her B.A. from Boston University. In her free time she enjoys exploring new cuisines, delving into a mystery novel, and going on adventures near and far! |
| General Director Sohil Khurana Sohil Khurana is a Policy Advisor and Associate at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP, where he focuses on federal legislative and regulatory public policy matters, including financial services, health care, and technology and telecommunications issues. As part of this issue portfolio, Sohil’s practice includes engaging in federal rulemaking and regulatory efforts as well as developing and crafting advocacy strategies from congressional and administrative perspectives. Previously, Sohil was an associate at Latham & Watkins LLP and Kirkland & Ellis LLP in New York City. Sohil received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center, where he was treasurer of the South Asian Law Students Association, and a student attorney for the Harrison Institute for Housing & Community Development. He received his B.S. from Cornell University and is admitted to practice in DC and New York. |
| General Director Archith Ramkumar is an appellate attorney at the Securities and Exchange Commission. He has also practiced appellate litigation at the Department of Justice, Office of Immigration Litigation, and in the private sector. After law school, Archith clerked for the Honorable T.S. Ellis III (E.D. Va.) and the Honorable Dennis Jacobs (2d Cir.) |
| General Director Anand Shah (he/him/his) Anand Shah is an Assistant General Counsel at KPMG LLP, where he is part of the Confidentiality, Privacy & Information Protection team. He advises the firm on issues related to data privacy, cybersecurity, information governance, and technology transformation. Anand was previously an associate at two national law firms in D.C. and prior to that served as a cybercrime prosecutor at the New Jersey Attorney General's Office. He received his JD from the Emory University School of Law, a Certificate in Technology Commercialization from the George Institute of Technology, and BA from The George Washington University in International Affairs and Economics. |
| Immediate Past President Nandu Machiraju (he/him/his) Nandu Machiraju is a partner in Baker & McKenzie LLP's Antitrust & Competition Practice. Before joining the firm, Nandu worked for the federal government for several years and practiced at another private law firm in its Washington, DC and Brussels offices. Nandu first gained exposure to SABA-DC when he served as the SABA-DC student liaison for Georgetown Law. Starting in 2016, Nandu served on the Board as a General Director for two years and the Vice President of Programming for a year. After a year-long hiatus, Nandu rejoined the Board as President-Elect. Nandu was named a 2020 Rising Star by SABA-NA and was selected as a 2021 Fellow for the SABA Leadership Institute's inaugural class. Nandu received his J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center, his M.P.P. from the University of Chicago, and his B.B.A. from the George Washington University. |
Former SABA-DC Presidents |
* President of the Indian-American Bar Association of Washington, DC (IABA-DC)--the organization that preceded SABA-DC |