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Board of Directors

Devin Persaud

President

Devin Persaud is a Senior Associate at Goodmans LLP, a premier Toronto-based full service law firm. Devin provides advice to clients on all aspects of Canadian competition, antitrust, foreign investment, marketing, and corporate compliance law. Devin also advises clients on all potentially anti-competitive and consumer protection business practices as well as in running internal investigations and implementing corporate compliance programs.

Devin is a passionate advocate for diversity-related initiatives in the Canadian Bar. He is a leading member of the SABA Toronto network and for his efforts was recently one of the youngest recipients of the 2019 Lexpert Zenith Award – celebrating Change Agents in Law. In 2020 Devin was also a recipient of the FACL Young Lawyer of the Year Award, and was a 2022 recipient of the Precedent Setter Award. Devin is also the co-chair of the SABA North America Antitrust section, and the chair of the CBA’s Marketing Practices Committee for the Competition and Foreign Investment Section.

In his spare time Devin enjoys binging Netflix shows, trying and rating new pizza places around the city and watching/emulating his favourite Bollywood stars.

Mohena Singh

Vice President

Mohena Singh is an associate in the Trusts, Wills, Estates and Charities group at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP. Mohena assists high net-worth clients with their succession planning and wealth preservation goals. Mohena received a Bachelor of Business Administration from the Schulich School of Business before attending Osgoode Hall Law School where she completed her JD.

Mohena has been a part of the Board of SABA Toronto since 2021 as Treasurer and Co-Chair of the annual Gala. She is passionate about advocating for equity and inclusion within the legal field and intends to continue to raise awareness for issues concerning the South Asian community as a Board member.

Mohena is also a certified yoga instructor and in her spare time, enjoys practising and teaching yoga to her family and friends.

Richa Sandill

Secretary

Richa Sandill is an employment and human rights lawyer in the legal clinic system. Her practice focuses primarily on advising and representing marginalized and low income workers on all aspects of employment law, including test case litigation, workplace harassment, discrimination, and wrongful dismissal. She practices at Don Valley Community Services as its Employment Law Team Lead. She works with the clinic’s Toronto East End Employment Law Services or TEELS program, a joint initiative between six East Toronto clinics to provide employment law services to low income workers in their catchment areas. She is also actively involved in public legal education initiatives for Toronto’s east end communities through her clinic role, including co-founding the “Tareekh Pe Tareekh” South Asian language TikTok campaign aimed at spreading awareness on Ontario employment law rights in Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Bengali, Tamil and Kannada.

In addition to her practice, Richa is an active member of the legal profession and a dedicated advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion. She served six terms on the Ontario Bar Association (OBA)’s Women Lawyers Forum executive, including as Chair in 2019-2020. She has been part of OBA Council, the OBA Equality, Dialogue on Licensing, and the Pro Bono Standing Committees, and from 2021-2022 she was a Member at Large on the Labour & Employment Law section of the OBA. She serves as Director and Secretary on the Board of SABA Toronto, having previously served four terms between 2017 and 2021. In her capacity as Co-Chair of the Women’s Committee for SABA Toronto in 2020-2021, Richa represented SABA Toronto in 2020 on stakeholder consultations with the Prime Minister’s office and the Law Society of Ontario, as well as co-chairing SABA Toronto’s first Women’s Leadership Summit in 2021.

Annie Tayyib

Treasurer

Annie is a litigator at Torkin Manes LLP with a practice that encompasses all aspects of commercial litigation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution. She specializes in high-stakes litigation, including multi-jurisdictional class actions, contractual disputes, and shareholder disputes. She has appeared in Courts of Appeal throughout the country, and has made written submissions to the Supreme Court of Canada on behalf of an intervener.

Annie has served on SABA Toronto’s board in many capacities over the years. She is also a member of the Young Advocates’ Standing Committee at The Advocates’ Society, a former member of the Ontario Bar Association’s Women Lawyers’ Forum, and currently participates in several mentorship and pro bono initiatives.

Ira Parghi

Director

Ira Parghi is a partner at INQ Law. She has over 20 years of experience in health law, information law, and civil litigation.

Ira has an extensive advisory and advocacy practice in health law. She is a trusted advisor to organizational and clinical leaders and an expert advocate before the courts, regulators (including the Information & Privacy Commissioner of Ontario), administrative tribunals (including the Health Services Appeal & Review Board), and public inquiries and inquests. Her clients include digital health and medical technology companies, hospitals, independent health facilities, community health organizations, health care professionals, and research institutes. Ira advises clients on a wide range of issues, including privacy litigation, Canada-U.S. cross-border privacy, breach prevention and management, digital health and AI, the use and sharing of data in clinical research, access to information, clinical risk management, professional discipline, medical research, and investigations.

Ira is a volunteer member of the Research Ethics Board of Canadian Blood Services and a Chair of the University of Toronto Tribunal. She is also a former member of the boards of directors of the South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario (SALCO) and the Gerstein Crisis Centre.

Gurvir Sangha

Director

Gurvir Sangha is an associate in the Business Law Group at McCarthy Tétrault. He maintains a broad corporate practice, with focuses on capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, securities matters, board governance and other corporate affairs. He is also an integral member of the firm’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and Sustainability Strategic Issues Group, advising clients on domestic and international ESG-related developments including climate-related financial disclosures.

Gurvir recently completed a secondment as Legal Counsel to Hydro One, the largest electricity transmission and distribution service provider in Ontario, and he previously worked for the Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII). He is actively involved as a mentor at law schools across Ontario, and currently participates in mentorship programs at the University of Toronto, Osgoode Hall Law School, Western University, Queen’s University, and Toronto Metropolitan University.

Gurvir is a graduate of the University of Toronto Faculty of Law (JD ’20), where he was a recipient of the 2020 Student Recognition Award from SABA Toronto, and the University of British Columbia (BA ’16).

Hisham Imtiaz

Director

Hisham Imtiaz is a personal injury lawyer with The Biking Lawyer LLP. His practice primarily centres around representing cyclists that have sustained serious injuries as a result of collisions with motor vehicles. He also regularly assists individuals that have been injured as a result of falls, physical violence and motor vehicle accidents.

When not in the office, Hisham spends much of his spare time cycling, enjoying Toronto’s tremendous food scene and taking photos.

Hisham obtained his Juris Doctor from the Queen’s University Faculty of Law and his Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Sociology from the University of Toronto.

Lipi Mishra

Director

Lipi is an associate in the litigation group at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP. She has a wide-ranging corporate-commercial litigation practice, with expertise in complex class action litigation and matters relating to securities, regulatory enforcement, and internal investigations. Lipi obtained both her law degree and her Master’s of Science in Epidemiology from McGill University. She is passionate about access to justice and is a regular duty counsel volunteer with Pro Bono Ontario.

Outside of work, Lipi is an avid runner, coffee-nerd, and enjoys exploring Toronto’s diverse food scene (with a particular proclivity for sampling the city’s best Jamaican patties).

Sahil Kesar

Director

Sahil is an associate at Blake, Cassels and Graydon where he maintains a diversified litigation and dispute resolution practice. He has experience in commercial and securities disputes, domestic and international arbitrations, and class actions involving mass torts and product liability claims. He also advises clients on privacy, data breach and cybersecurity issues as well as litigation considerations for corporate transactions.

Sahil obtained his law degree from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law and his international business degree from York University’s Schulich School of Business, and is called in both Ontario and British Columbia. Sahil was first involved with SABA Toronto as a student liaison in 2018, and previously served on the Board of Directors of SABA British Columbia from 2020 to 2022. He helped found SABA Toronto’s Young Lawyers’ Division in 2022 and continues as Chair of that committee.

In his spare time, Sahil is either out with his dog, exploring restaurants with his wife, or traveling some part of the world.

Imran Kamal

Director

Imran Kamal was called to the Bar in Ontario in 2013. He is Crown Counsel for the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General, specializing in Indigenous rights. Imran was legal counsel at the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Hamilton (CCAS) from 2014 to 2021. Imran is a LSO Certified Specialist in Indigenous Legal Issues and the only child protection lawyer in Ontario with this designation. In 2021, Imran was named one of the Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in Canada by Canadian Lawyer Magazine. In 2023, Imran received the Precedent Setter Award for his work with Indigenous communities and received the Diversity Award from SABA Toronto for his work in de-stigmatizing mental health and addiction as well as for his work with reconciliation.

Imran’s passion is to work front line and grassroots. In 2017, Imran established Hamilton Lawyers Feed the Hungry, which gathers volunteers from the legal community to financially support and prepare and serve meals for 80-100 children and youth in the Hamilton community bi-weekly. Since 2016, Imran has also been a weekly volunteer at a Men’s Live-in Addiction Treatment Centre, providing support and resources for men overcoming alcohol and drug addiction. Additionally, Imran is a Board Member of Mission Services of Hamilton.

Davin Garg

Director

Davin Michael Garg is Crown Counsel with Ontario’s Ministry of the Attorney General at the Crown Law Office — Criminal, where he conducts criminal trials and appeals at all levels of court. His specialties include white-collar and corruption cases, impaired driving prosecutions, and Charter litigation under sections 9 and 10. He practices in English and French. He is also a coordinator of the office’s education and student programs, which includes developing inclusion and anti-racism training.

Davin originally hails from Vancouver, where he completed his undergraduate degree in business at Simon Fraser University and his law degree at the University of British Columbia. He and his wife love spending time with their small son and their smaller chihuahua.

Jaspal Sangha

Director

Jaspal is the founder and principal lawyer at Sangha Construction Law Professional Corporation. Jaspal represents owners, general contractors, and subcontractors on a wide range of construction related matters including contract drafting and negotiations, course-of-project advice, preservation and enforcement of liens, adjudications, breach of trust claims, and construction contract disputes.

Prior to starting his own law firm, Jaspal practiced at a boutique construction law firm in Toronto where he developed his specialization in construction law. In the first few years of practice, Jaspal worked at a national firm in Toronto and at a regional insurance defence firm representing insurance companies, professionals, as well as small and medium businesses on various litigation matters including construction disputes. During the first five years of his career, Jaspal has successfully litigated across all levels of court in Ontario, including the Court of Appeal and Divisional Court.

Jaspal received an undergraduate degree at the Schulich School of Business and his law degree at Windsor Law. Outside of the law, Jaspal is an avid sports fan and has the misfortune of supporting the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Christopher Dias

Director

Christopher Dias is a litigation associate with McCague Borlack LLP, where he practices in a diverse range of areas from insurance defence to subrogation and privacy.

A graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School, Christopher received the Dean’s Gold Key Award for his extensive work in supporting the student body and community. He is a former Program Coordinator of Pro Bono Students Canada, the largest pro bono organization in Canada, as well as a former Division Leader and Board Member of the Community & Legal Aid Services Programme Clinic. Christopher looks forward to bringing this same commitment and energy for community issues to SABA Toronto’s ongoing work to support the South Asian bar and community at large.

In his free time, you can likely find him trying out the city’s latest escape room or lost amidst the myriad of television and cinematic options across various streaming services.

Anisha Bhardwaj

Director

Anisha Bhardwaj is an associate in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution group at Aird & Berlis LLP. Anisha has a general commercial litigation practice that includes contractual disputes, professional liability and economic torts. She frequently represents clients involved in disputes relating to real estate, commercial leasing, construction, employment and municipal matters.

Anisha’s involvement with SABA Toronto began in 2018 as the President of the South Asian Law Students Association at Windsor Law. Since joining the Board in 2020, she has played an important role in forming SABA Toronto’s Mentor Match Program for lawyers and remains involved in coordinating the program.

Anisha received her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from the University of Toronto and her Juris Doctor from Windsor Law, where she was awarded SABA Toronto’s Student Recognition Award.

Gurteg Singh

Director

Gurteg Singh is a human rights, employment and real estate lawyer based in Mississauga, Ontario. His primary area of practice is human rights law, with a focus on workplace investigations and institutional climate reviews related to issues of racial discrimination, gender bias, bullying, and harassment in Ontario universities and colleges.

Outside of work, Gurteg is a strong advocate for accessibility and equity in both the NCA and the Ontario legal licensing process. He frequently mentors internationally trained lawyers and law students undergoing the NCA examination process, along with students preparing for Ontario’s bar exams. In 2021, Gurteg was awarded one of Precedent Magazine’s Innovation Awards for his “101 Series for Young Lawyers” free CPD initiative. He also served as a past executive committee member for the Ontario Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division (Central).

Gurteg completed his undergraduate degree at McMaster University and moved to Brighton, England in 2017 to pursue his legal education at the University of Sussex.

Aarondeep Bains

Ex Officio - Past President

Aaron Bains is a partner in the Capital Markets group at Aird & Berlis LLP. Aaron has a broad corporate practice, which includes mergers and acquisitions and debt and equity financings for start-ups and small to medium sized enterprises. Aaron has a diverse academic background having studied political science and international relations at the University of British Columbia and Institut d’études politiques de Paris (Sciences Po), Canadian law at Queen’s University and international and European business law at Université Jean-Moulin-Lyon-III.

Aaron initially began working with SABA Toronto for several years as a volunteer, eventually becoming appointed to the Board and finally appointed as the Treasurer, Vice President, and then as President. Aaron also serves on several legal and non-legal boards and executive committees in Ontario. He is a past executive committee member of the OBA Business Law Section and International Law Sections. He is an involved with the management of The St. Georges Society of Toronto Charity and the Breakfast of Champions for SickKids Charity. Finally, Aaron is the Vice President of the Canadian International Council Toronto Branch, a global affairs organisation and a regional advisory to the World Sikh Organisation.

When Aaron is not working he is found nowhere, as he is never not working. He kids, when Aaron is not working he is found enjoying the Ontario countryside.

Student Liaisons

Malaika Hussaini

Malaika Hussaini is a third-year Dual JD student at Windsor Law and Detroit Mercy Law. Malaika previously served as Outreach Advisor to the Premier of Ontario and most recently summered at DLA Piper (Canada) LLP in Toronto.

Malaika has travelled to over 19 countries and enjoys learning about different cultures and cuisines.

Harmeena Dhillon

Harmeena Dhillon is a second-year student at Windsor Law, with an undergraduate Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Wilfrid Laurier University. In addition to founding the Windsor Law Punjabi Association in 2023, she’s also a research assistant to Professor David M. Tanovich in the area of false confessions.

In her spare time you can find Harmeena binge watching The Office, trying out a new recipe, or attempting to train her energetic German Shephard-Rotweiler.

Megh Apte

Megh Apte is an internationally trained lawyer from India pursuing the Professional LL.M – International Business Law (Full-Time) at Osgoode Hall Law School. He is also a NCA Candidate.

Megh was a civil litigator in India and also completed a Masters of Law (Business and Corporate Laws) from Symbiosis Law School, Pune. Megh’s interest in anti-trust law and civil aviation inspired his Masters thesis on the anti-competitive effects of codeshare agreements between airlines.

In his spare time, Megh loves to swim, play badminton, table tennis, soccer and cricket. Megh also loves to watch European soccer and international Test cricket.

Ishani Saxena

Ishani Saxena is pursuing her LLM degree at the University of Toronto. She is an internationally trained lawyer from India. Beyond her academic pursuits, she is an ardent Formula 1 fan who finds joy in the thrilling world of motorsports. When she is not engrossed in legal studies or racing action, you can find her indulging in her passion for the creative world through movies, TV shows, podcasts, music, and memes ofcourse. She is also a culinary explorer, always eager to whip up new recipes and savor different cuisines.

Jahanvi Pandit

Jahanvi Pandit is a third-year student at Osgoode Hall Law School and the co-president of the South Asian Law Students’ Association at Osgoode for 2023-2024. Jahanvi enjoys rewatching her favourite sitcoms, going to the gym, and going to concerts.

She will be completing a fall semester abroad at the University of Copenhagen, in Denmark, during her last year of law school.

Rutvi Patel

Rutvi Patel is a second-year student at the University of Ottawa. She spent her summer after her first year of law school as a Summer Law Student for the South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario and is a member of the South Asian Law Students Association at UOttawa.

In her spare time Rutvi enjoys listening to audiobooks/podcasts, working out, and doing DIY projects.

Shirin Monga

Shirin Monga is a third-year law student at Osgoode Hall Law School. She is also the Co-President of Osgoode’s South Asian Law Student Association.

In addition to her academic pursuits, Shirin loves to binge sitcoms or new TV shows on Netflix, exercise, travel, and take care of her mental health. In her final year of law school, Shirin will be working at the Ontario Human Rights Legal Support Centre.

Swetha Subramanyam

Swetha Subramanyam is a third-year student at Western Law. Swetha received her undergraduate degree in Business Technology Management from Toronto Metropolitan University. Before joining Western Law, she worked as a Consultant at Deloitte.

Outside of school and work, Swetha enjoys traveling, Muay Thai, and trying different cafes to find the best coffee in Toronto.

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