FORMER SABA-SC PRESIDENT AJAY PATEL RECEIVES 2008 STATE BAR PRESIDENT’S PRO BONO AWARD
| Los Angeles, California, September 25, 2008 – Former South Asian Bar Association of Southern California (SABA-SC) president Ajay Patel was selected to receive the State Bar of California President’s Pro Bono Award. |
| Each year, the State Bar presents nine President’s Pro Bono Awards at its annual meeting to individuals and law firms that have provided or facilitated legal services to individuals or to legal aid organizations. This year, former SABA-SC President Ajay Patel is one of the nine recipients being recognized in the corporate category for his vast exemplary pro bono services. |
| “We are very proud of Ajay for having his long time pro bono commitment recognized by the State Bar,” said SABA-SC Co-President Pankit Doshi |
| As a former SABA-SC president, Ajay simultaneously juggles the roles of working as a vice president at Sony Media Software and Services and serving as the pro bono chair for the Southern California chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel (“ACC”) for the past six years. He is also a longtime volunteer with a variety of legal aid organizations, launching two key initiatives, Street Law and Law Day. |
| Under his leadership and efforts, Ajay successfully partnered with the University of Southern California Law School and the Los Angeles Unified School District to help organize a team of more than 50 law students and 20 ACC volunteers to teach approximately 60 inner-city eight graders about negotiating contracts, entertainment and sports law, and various laws affecting public school systems. |
| In addition, Ajay has teamed with Public Counsel, a public interest law firm, and recruited and trained ACC’s transactional lawyers for pro bono participation in an Adoption Day program. Through the program, ACC’s transactional lawyers assisted more than 20 families in uncontested adoptions. More specifically, Ajay has volunteered over 20 hours to his foster family client and over 30 hours coordinating the program. |
| “To be selected as only one of nine individuals for the Pro Bono Award is an honor and we congratulate Ajay for his achievement,” added SABA-SC Co-President Paul Saghera. |
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SABA SC Public Interest
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