President's Message
It has been an incredible journey watching SABA Toronto grow over the years. When this organization was founded over 15 years ago, few could have envisioned it becoming the largest equity-seeking bar association in Canada. Our reach has expanded significantly, and our over 1,300 members have broken barriers once thought insurmountable for visible minority lawyers. We are proud to count among our members influential legislators, industry leaders, trendsetters in equity, diversity, and inclusion, and exceptionally talented advocates and jurists, including the first minority judge on our nation’s highest court.
Yet, there is still much work to be done.
SABA’s mission has always been to uplift South Asian legal professionals, and we will continue to do so through our various initiatives including advocacy, community outreach, continuing professional development, gender diversity initiatives, and mentorship and networking opportunities.
While SABA has made significant strides in ensuring our profession reflects our communities, we know that representation is not enough. We must continue to contribute to access to justice initiatives to ensure new Canadians and visible minorities have confidence in their social, political, and justice systems.
Many of us are the first in our families to attend law school and enter the legal profession. We stand on the shoulders of those who have been trailblazers before us, enabling us to enter this profession and advance within it. It is incumbent on us to now do the same for those that follow. We take this responsibility seriously.
Since the pandemic, we have seen our community struggle with mental health, domestic violence, and discrimination both in the legal profession and in our broader communities. We aim to confront these challenges together with our members so that we can make a meaningful impact in the lives of not only South Asian legal professionals, but also the broader communities in which they work and live.
If you are a South Asian lawyer thinking about getting involved, I would urge you to stop thinking and just do it. We would love to welcome you into the SABA family. It has been one of the most rewarding parts of my career to seek ways to improve the law, the legal process, and to assist those who have been marginalized and disadvantaged. I am certain you will feel the same.
Annie Tayyab, President
Past Presidents
Devin Persaud
Miller Thomson LLP
Aaron Bains
Aird & Berlis LLP
Jennifer Jobanputra
Loblaw Companies Limited
Hafeez S. Amarshi
Judge of the Ontario Court of Justice
Ranjan Agarwal
Judge of Superior Court of Justice of Ontario
Jayashree Goswami
Region of Peel
Rishi Bandhu
Bandhu Law
Sudevi Mukherjee-Gothi
Pallett Valo LLP
Ron Choudhury
Miller Thomson LLP