SABANY, SAWAN and the Asian American Bar Association of New York invite you to join on March 31, 2021 from 6:00-7:00pm ET for a session on how women can learn to define your success. Malavika Rao will moderate with participation by Bernadette Beekman, Lourdes Olvera-Marshall, Katherine Loanzon, Megha Jain and Vidya Pappachan. CLE credit pending for diversity, inclusion and elimination of bias. RSVP here.

Survey of SABA North America
Women Attorney Members

The South Asian American Bar Association of North America put together this survey for South Asian Women Attorneys located in North America. Please fill out the survey by April 4, 2021. It is March and that means it is Women’s History Month. We are taking this opportunity to launch SABA’s Women’s Survey. There is simply not enough information collected on the experience of South Asian women attorneys. Let’s change that! It’s time we made our voices heard. The survey is here. If you have any questions, please email sabanorthamerica1@gmail.com

Pro Bono Opportunity with SPLC: Legal Tools to Support Immigrants Seeking Freedom from Detention

SABA-DC is excited to share a wonderful pro bono opportunity sponsored by the Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia. This is an opportunity to assist detained asylum seekers and will allow you to explore strategic legal and advocacy tools in immigration law. Lawyers will learn how to effectively wield these tools to make an immediate and positive impact in the lives of detained immigrants who have survived significant hardship in their home countries and are seeking help in being released from detention. By the end of this program, you will be equipped to take on a pro bono case through the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) with mentorship from the American Immigration Council’s Immigration Justice Campaign (AIC IJC). Attorneys will help individuals whose “credible fear” interview was denied and prepare arguments to secure release from ICE custody. Pro bono Attorneys will not be required to form an enduring Attorney-Client relationship but can be limited to providing limited but critical legal services. Attorneys will also be able to craft legal work product that can be used (in a redacted form) as a future writing sample.

After the training, SPLC will match interested pro bono attorneys with detained migrants to prepare discrete written submissions with the potential to meaningfully impact their cases by assisting in their efforts to be released from detention. Pro bono attorneys will assist individuals whose credible fear interviews have been denied and/or prepare requests for release, providing aid at a critical juncture for individuals who would otherwise remain languishing in detention without counsel. SPLC will provide an online toolkit with sample submissions and ongoing mentorship through their partnership with AIC IJC. This is an excellent opportunity for attorneys without an immigration law background to provide meaningful assistance to detained immigrants whose rights have been violated and contribute to immigrant justice work. RSVP here for the session on March 24, 2021.

Careers & Internships in International Trade, Customs, and Export Controls Law

Have you ever thought about being an international trade lawyer? Hear from practitioners about the many opportunities in the international trade law field and how to start your career.

As part of CITBA’s and ASIL’s commitments to a diverse trade bar, this event is geared towards law students and recent graduates from underrepresented groups.

Moderator: Jaelyn Edwards Judelson, Partner, Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld LLP

Panelists: Currita Waddy, Assistant Chief Counsel, U.S. Customs & Border Protection

Shama Patari, Executive Director, Lenovo

Mercedes Morno, Associate, King & Spalding

Roop K. Bhatti, Chief of Staff, U.S. International Trade Commission

Jini Koh, Senior Corporate Counsel, Amazon

When: March 16, 2021, 4:00-5:00 pm EST

Where: Zoom 

RSVP here. This event is free and open to all.

The Illuminate Summit is a collective examination of the structural inequalities womxn of color experience in the legal profession. Attendees will participate in activities that strengthen our commonalities and celebrate our differences while investing in ourselves and our community. Saturday March 27th from 10am-1pm PST (1pm-4pm EST).

RSVP here 

The South Asian Bar Association of Northern California Foundation is proud to sponsor fellowships for current law students and recent graduates. The dual purposes of the fellowships are to improve the representation of South Asian attorneys in the public interest and government sectors and to better address the unmet legal needs of the South Asian community. SABA-NC Foundation may award up to $4,000 to selected law student applicants and up to $5,000 to selected recent graduates for post-bar opportunities. The fellowship application can be found online here. Fellowships will be awarded on a rolling basis, so applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as they can confirm a position at a public interest organization or government agency.

SABA North America’s Annual Lobby Day is back, in a special virtual format! Lobby Day is an opportunity for Congressional offices to hear directly from us, and it allows you to educate your elected officials and their staff about the issues that are most important to SABA members and our community.

In its virtual format, SABA members will participate in online advocacy meetings throughout the day on Thursday April 29, 2021. Prior to Lobby Day, registered participants will attend training sessions to gain a deeper understanding of the issues that affect the South Asian community and how to effectively communicate them to Congressional offices.

RSVP here

SABA Foundation's Application for the 2021 grant cycle is live and can be found here. SABA Foundation provides grants to organizations across North America in the areas of domestic violence, immigration rights, hate crimes & discrimination and community access to justice. You can find more about our grantmaking activities on our website. Please spread the word to organizations in your communities positively impacting the South Asian community in these areas about the SABA Foundation Grant. Please apply by April 16, 2021.

The Washington Bar Association (WBA) and The Greater Washington Area Chapter, Women Lawyers Division, National Bar Association (GWAC) Eighteenth Annual Career Fair has been postponed to Saturday, March 20, 2021, from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm. During the Career Fair, Law Students will have the opportunity to interview with Employers. The deadline to register has been extended to March 6, 2021. Interested Employers, please Click Here to register. Interested Law Students, please Click Here to register.

Kick off 2021 with a new chapter! Even in the best of times, career development can be challenging. With the effects of a global pandemic reverberating around the world (and in our legal community), looking for a new position or growing in your current position can feel especially overwhelming for recent graduates and seasoned attorneys alike. This new normal calls for new approaches. Whether you have just passed the bar, are looking to transition out of your current role, or are just feeling stuck, we welcome you to join this conversation. Our panel will discuss what creative strategies are available (including new recruiting innovations in this virtual age) and how to leverage the resources you have to find the best position for you.

When: February 17, 2021, 6:30pm EST

Where: Zoom

RSVP here