2026 Award Nomination Form
The Annual Public Interest Dinner and Installation is our largest event of the year where we celebrate community service, welcome our new boards, and honor distinguished guests. SABA-SC Public Interest Foundation (SABA SC- PIF) and SABA-SC are proud to celebrate leaders of the legal profession and a shared commitment to public interest.
We are accepting nominations for awards to be presented at the 2026 SABA-SC Public Interest Dinner on May 14, 2026. Judicial officers and lawyers in good standing at all levels of seniority are eligible for awards, and self-nominations are accepted. For a list of past awardees, please visit https://www.socalsaba.org/all-events/annual-gala
You can submit multiple nominations and nominations must be received no later than March 15, 2026. SABA-SC and SABA-SC PIF make no guarantees that your nomination(s) will be selected, and reserve the right to propose nominations of their own.
For questions about the nomination process or to submit additional documents in support of the nomination (e.g. articles, letters of recommendation, resumes), please email them to SABA (socalsaba@gmail.com) and SABA SC-PIF (sabapif@gmail.com).
AWARD DESCRIPTIONS:
JUDICIAL APPRECIATION AWARD: Recognizes a judicial officer who has demonstrated judicial excellence, integrity, leadership, innovation, and/or significant contributions to access to justice efforts, the legal community, or community at large.
PUBLIC INTEREST AWARD: Recognizes an individual in the public sector whose work advances the SABA-SC Public Interest Foundation's mission. Public sector attorneys include those employed by the federal, state, or local governments, colleges and universities, and non-profit organizations.
TRAILBLAZER AWARD: Recognizes an individual who has demonstrated sustained excellence or a specific extraordinary accomplishment in any sector (law firm, in-house, public sector, etc.). Recipients exemplify leadership, innovation, and commitment to advancing opportunity within their organization and the broader legal community.
Statement in support of recommendation: Please provide a concise narrative (250 words max) explaining the nominee’s qualifications for the award(s).
Examples of information to support a nomination could include:
Professional Excellence: Describe how the nominee has demonstrated exceptional skill in their field, highlighting specific accomplishments relevant to the award category and their influence on the legal profession through forward-thinking approaches.
Leadership Impact: Provide examples of how the nominee has shown leadership within their organization or community.
Dedication and Service: Detail the nominee’s commitment to advancing equal opportunity in the legal profession, including through mentorship.
Community Involvement: Detail the nominee's contributions to SABA-SC and/or the South Asian community, if any.
Overall Impact: Summarize why the nomninee's contributions are worthy of recognition for the specific award category.