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Board of Directors

Annie (Qurrat-ul-ain) Tayyab

President

Annie (Qurrat-ul-ain) Tayyab 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 has previously been a member of the Young Advocates’ Standing Committee at The Advocates’ Society, Public Affairs Liaison of the Ontario Bar Association’s Women Lawyers’ Forum, and currently participates in several mentorship and pro bono initiatives, including volunteering quarterly with Pro Bono Ontario.

In her spare time, Annie is learning kathak, tries to keep up her streak on Duolingo for French, and loves to try new restaurants around the GTA.

Mohena Singh

Vice President

Mohena Singh is an Associate in the Trusts, Wills, Estates and Charities Group at Fasken in Toronto, where she advises individuals and families on estate planning, trust, succession, and wealth preservation matters. She is a registered Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) and holds a Juris Doctor from Osgoode Hall Law School.

Mohena previously held executive roles on the SABA Toronto Board from 2021 to 2025. In that capacity, she worked to create opportunities for lawyers and law students to build meaningful professional relationships and engage with the communities they serve. This term, she intends to continue to create initiatives that foster mentorship, professional development, and community engagement within the legal profession.

Mohena is also currently a Trustee of the SABA North America Foundation.

Gurteg Singh

Treasurer

Gurteg Singh is a human rights, employment, real estate, and corporate lawyer based in Mississauga, Ontario. His primary area of practice is human rights and employment law, with a focus on workplace investigations and institutional climate reviews addressing issues of racial discrimination, gender bias, bullying, and harassment in Ontario universities and colleges. He also advises clients on a broad range of real estate, corporate and commercial matters, including private mortgage financing, mortgage enforcement, franchise disclosure prep and review, share/asset purchase transactions. 

Beyond his practice, Gurteg is an active advocate for accessibility and equity in the legal profession. He regularly mentors internationally trained lawyers and law students navigating the NCA process and Ontario’s licensing exams. In 2021, he received one of Precedent Magazine’s Innovation Awards for his “101 Series for Young Lawyers” free CPD initiative.

In addition to his legal work, Gurteg is an entrepreneur and community builder. In 2023, he founded a Toronto-based music and arts collective that has grown into a highly engaged community platform that fosters connection, representation, and cultural impact across the city.

Nevethan Balendra

Secretary

Nevethan Balendra is the co-founder of Balendra & Santhira LLP, a full-service law firm based in Toronto with practices spanning corporate and commercial law, litigation, employment law, real estate, and wills and estates. Nevethan’s practice focuses primarily on corporate and commercial matters, including commercial agreements, technology, privacy, and regulatory matters. Prior to co-founding the firm, Nevethan served as Legal Counsel in Manulife’s Global Contracts and Technology Group and practised at leading Canadian law firms.

Nevethan received his Bachelor of Science, Master of Health Information Science, and Juris Doctor from Western University.

Nevethan is a Director of SABA Toronto, a Co-Chair with the Roundtable of Legal Diversity Organizations (RODA), and a co-founder of the Tamil Bar Association. He remains actively involved in mentorship, pr

Arun Krishnamurti

Director

Arun Krishnamurti is an experienced technology lawyer with a track record of practical, business-oriented legal advice. After having worked at a leading Canadian law firm, and now in-house at Google Canada, Arun’s well versed in analyzing and responding to complex (and frequently cross-border) legal issues, including product launches, cloud services agreements, consumer protection and many other commercial and regulatory topics. Arun currently serves on the board of the Canadian Technology Law Association and has been a long time director of SABA Toronto. He remains actively involved in his communities, taking on roles in mentoring and broadly supporting diversity and equity-seeking groups. In recognition of his accomplishments, Arun has been named to Lexpert Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers Under 40 and recognized by the South Asian Bar Association of North America as a Rising Star.

Christopher Dias

Director

Christopher is a civil litigator based in Toronto. He was called to the Ontario bar in 2021. 

He earned his Juris Doctor from Osgoode Hall Law School, graduating as a recipient of the Dean’s Gold Key Award and the Wendy Babcock Social Justice Scholarship. 

He has been a long-time supporter of initiatives rooted in social action and student mentorship. He is a former Program Coordinator of Pro Bono Students Canada and former student board member of the Community & Legal Aid Services Programme (CLASP) where he also worked as a student caseworker, assisting low-income individuals with commonplace legal concerns. He coaches one of Osgoode Hall’s competitive and award-winning mooting teams that specializes in international media rights issues. 

He currently is a Director of the South Asian Bar Association (Toronto), the Osgoode Cup, and the PRISME Conference Committee.

Chris Sewrattan

Director

Chris Sewrattan is a criminal lawyer who conducts trials and appeals. He also teaches criminal procedure at the Lincoln Alexander School of Law in Toronto. Partnering with his sister, their firm has been ranked as one of the best criminal law firms in Canada by Best Lawyers. 

Chris joins SABA Toronto’s Board after having served as a Director and Executive of the Criminal Lawyers’ Association.

Jaskaran Grewal

Director

As a corporate associate at Dentons, Jaskaran Grewal advises clients on mergers and acquisitions, securities transactions, and corporate finance matters. He leverages his legal expertise and his technology consulting background to provide comprehensive solutions for clients in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

Jaskaran holds a JD from Western University and a MMgt (with distinction) from the Schulich School of Business. He is passionate about community service and social entrepreneurship, and has helped several organizations develop sustainable business models. He also enjoys reading, following the financial press, working out, and admiring watches he can’t afford.

Kevin Fernandes

Director

Kevin Luciano Fernandes is an associate at Julian Heller and Associates and was called to the Ontario Bar in 2023. He practices across a diverse range of legal areas, including civil and commercial litigation, employment law, construction law, professional responsibility, and wills and estates, with experience appearing before trial and appellate courts in Ontario. Kevin holds dual Bachelor’s degrees with honours in Law (LL.B.) and Business Administration (B.B.A.) from Christ University, Bangalore, and further developed his practical skills through the Law Practice Program at Toronto Metropolitan University. Kevin is passionate about contributing to and supporting the South Asian legal community and is interested in creating greater opportunities for connection, mentorship, and professional growth. Outside of his legal practice, Kevin is a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and an avid saxophone player. His interests in fitness and music reflect his belief in maintaining a balanced, creative, and well-rounded life.

Lipi Mishra

Director

Lipi is a partner at Aird & Berlis LLP and a member of the firm’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution Group. She has a particular focus on advising technology clients on data protection issues, cybersecurity and intermediary liability matters. Lipi’s broader practice spans commercial disputes and crisis-management matters, including securities litigation, regulatory enforcement proceedings, internal investigations, and class action defence.

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. In addition to serving on the SABA Toronto Board, Lipi is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association.
Outside of work, Lipi is an avid runner, coffee-nerd, and enjoys exploring Toronto’s diverse food scene (with a penchant for sampling the city’s best Jamaican patties).

Monty Dhaliwal

Director of Professional Development

Monty Dhaliwal is a Partner at Pallett Valo LLP and the co-lead of its Commercial Litigation group. His practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, including shareholder disputes, oppression remedies, bankruptcy and insolvency proceedings, and crisis management. He is a graduate of the University of Buckingham and the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) process.

Monty is serving in his 4th term as director, having previously served as Vice President and Secretary. He currently serves as Co-Chair of the Programming subcommittee, and sits on subcommittees for Advocacy and Membership/Outreach. He acts on SABA Toronto’s production team for “Raising the Bar”, a documentary to commemorate the association’s 25th anniversary.

Outside of practice, Monty is an active member of his community, balancing his professional commitments with family life and a range of personal pursuits. He remains committed to mentorship within the profession and to strengthening SABA Toronto’s role as a platform for the next generation of South Asian lawyers, and takes particular interest in supporting fellow foreign graduates as they thrive in the early stages of their legal careers.

Myra Sivaloganathan

Director

Myra Sivaloganathan is counsel with the Indigenous Rights and Relations Division of the Department of Justice Canada, where she represents the federal Crown in litigation arising from land and treaty claims. She earned her Juris Doctor from Windsor Law.

Myra has held leadership roles with the Ontario Bar Association, including as Chair of the Women Lawyers Forum and Secretary of the Young Lawyers Division. In these roles, she organized professional development panels, networking events, and mentorship initiatives for lawyers at various stages of practice. She is also a member of the Tamil Bar Association and has volunteered on its Gala Committee.

Outside of work, she enjoys running, cycling, and choral singing.

Nandishi Bekah

Director

Nandishi Bekah is the Associate Principal and Managing Lawyer (Toronto) for Ontario Family Law Solutions, a boutique Family Law Firm located in Downtown Toronto. She is a zealous and compassionate advocate, focused on preserving the family nucleus insomuch as possible through tactful negotiations and client-focused solutions. She has represented her clients at all levels of court in Ontario and holds a Master of Laws from Osgoode, with a particular specialization in Alternative Dispute Resolution. Nandishi has been featured on CTV National, Global TV, Sirius XM Radio and has been a regular contributor to the Lawyer’s Daily. She has been nominated for the Top 25 Most Influencial Lawyers in Canada in both 2023 and 2024 and has been recognized by her peers for her noteworthy training modules focused on advancing the standard of practice for lawyers in order to best serve clients in today’s modern society. Her passion for the law and education meet through the creation of modules intended to break social barriers and enable legal professionals to be socially relevant and client centric advocates. Nandishi also remains active in her community and is a contributing member to various organizations and committees, such as the Toronto Lawyer’s Association, Peel Law Association, AFCCO, CAMH and the Hospital for Sick Children.

Nandishi speaks 4 languages, English, French, Creole and Hindi and is able to provide legal services in both English and French. She recently authored her first ever children’s book called “I USED TO HAVE ONE BUT NOW I HAVE TWO” which is a child-friendly book about the realities and impact of divorce on families.

Raghav Jain

Director

Raghav Jain, is the founder and principal lawyer at Vantage Immigration Law. He brings a wealth of experience in Canadian and international legal systems. A dual-licensed lawyer in Ontario and India, Raghav has honed his expertise in immigration litigation such as judicial reviews of visa refusals, mandamus applications for visa delays, stay of removal orders, inadmissibility appeals etc. His legal career also includes representing high-profile cases before the Canadian International Trade Tribunal.

His firm – Vantage Immigration Law is a boutique immigration law firm located in the heart of Downtown Toronto, with a satellite office in Chandigarh, India. He provides comprehensive immigration services, delivering solutions that are as diverse as the needs of his clients. His mission is to simplify the immigration process while ensuring every case is handled with professionalism, integrity, and a deep understanding of the law.

At Vantage Immigration Law, he leverages this unique combination of international legal acumen and practical immigration expertise to deliver results-oriented solutions. Whether you’re pursuing economic opportunities, reuniting with family, or planning to build a new life in Canada, he guides his clients through every step of the way.

Outside of law, Raghav has been involved in numerous community service projects under the auspices of Rotary International. He takes a keen interest in international relations, European football and world history. Additionally, he embarks on frequent mountaineering expeditions in the Himalayas and canoe trips in Canada’s north in order to de-stress.

Rajat Beniwal

Director

Rajat Beniwal is an associate in the Regulatory group at Dentons’ Toronto office. His practice focuses primarily on international trade law, including trade remedies, customs, economic sanctions, trade compliance, and other regulatory matters arising from cross-border trade. Rajat is dual-qualified in Ontario, Canada and India. Before joining Dentons, he articled with the International Trade and Investment group at another national law firm in Toronto. Prior to moving to Canada, Rajat practiced law in India, where his experience included a Judicial Clerkship at Court of Appeal and Associate role with a national law firm and Amazon India working on commercial litigation, product liability, and regulatory matters.

Rajat previously served as a Student Liaison with SABA Toronto and is passionate about mentorship and supporting internationally trained lawyers and NCA candidates as they navigate the Canadian legal profession.

Devin Persaud

Ex-Officio - Past-President

Devin Persaud is a Partner at Miller Thomson LLP, one of the largest full service law firms in Canada. 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. In 2023 Devin was awarded the Toronto Lawyer’s Association’s Emerging Excellence Award and the SABA North America’s Rising Star Award. He was also named in Best Lawyers Ones to Watch – Competition/Antirust Law and Corporate Law in 2024. 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.

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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