Diversity in Practice Panel to Explore Middle Eastern/South Asian Representation in Law

Spencer Fane Partner Ayesha Mehdi among panelists set for March 2 virtual discussion

The UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law’s Middle Eastern Law Students Association plans to present a Diversity in Practice Panel Zoom discussion focused on Middle Eastern and South Asian representation in the legal profession at 6:30 p.m. on March 2.

Panelists set to participate include Las Vegas health care attorney and Spencer Fane Partner Ayesha Mehdi, who will be joined by Seattle Municipal Court Judge Damon Shadid, Nevada ACLU Director Athar Haseebullah, and UNLV Immigration Professor Michael Kagan, director of Boyd’s Immigration Legal Clinic.

“The legal profession remains one of the least diverse in the United States,” Mehdi said. “As a woman of color, I am among the mere 9.32 percent of all lawyers and 3.79 percent of law partners according to the most recent report from the National Association for Law Placement (NALP).”

Mehdi added that implicit bias continues to be a challenge in the recruitment, retention and advancement of diverse lawyers. 

“Indeed, for diversity and inclusion efforts to be effective, we must ensure that diverse lawyers are acknowledged, encouraged and actively supported,” she said. 

For more about the Middle Eastern Law Students Association, visit law.unlv.edu/students/student-organizations/melsa.

MORE ABOUT AYESHA MEHDI

Ayesha Mehdi received her Bachelor’s in Business Administration with honors in Finance from Walsh College of Accountancy and Business Administration, and her Master’s in Health Services Administration, as well as her Juris Doctorate degree, from the University of Kansas, where she serves on the law school’s Board of Governors.

As a health care attorney, she works closely with physicians, health care professionals and various health care and closely held businesses in a wide range of corporate, transactional, regulatory and licensure matters. As a partner in the Spencer Fane health care group, she counsels clients on fraud and abuse; health information technology (HIT) and compliance; antitrust; health information privacy and security (HIPAA and HITECH Act); and health care reimbursement. 

Along with speaking at regional and national seminars and conferences for both legal and health care associations, she is a pro bono attorney for the Children’s Attorney Project of Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada and Vice Chair of the American Bar Association Health Law Section’s Fraud and Compliance interest group and active American Health Law Association Member, which selected her to its Leadership Development Program in 2019.