Zanah Ghalawanji
Alexandria,VA
Summary
Accomplished attorney specializing in employment discrimination and organizational compliance. Founded and expanded a nationally recognized employment law practice for a leading non-profit, managing complex litigation and achieving significant settlements. Expertise in corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and risk management, advising executive leadership on legal standards. Combines litigation strategy with proactive compliance solutions, ensuring organizational integrity and operational efficiency.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
TRIAL ATTORNEY
CAIR LEGAL DEFENSE FUND
Washington, D.C.
05.2018 - Current
- Established a nationally recognized employment law practice, handling all employment cases while managing a legal team.
- Advised and conducted research on legal issues related to corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and drafted and reviewed contracts for various business transactions and partnerships.
- Secured favorable outcomes for clients through effective negotiations and mediations.
- Managed employment litigation, including case intake and analysis, legal research, drafting briefs and motions, overseeing discovery, representing individuals in connection with investigations, and successfully participating in mediations and settlement negotiations.
STUDENT ATTORNEY
WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY IMMIGRATION CLINIC
Detroit, MI
09.2017 - 12.2018
- Gained the opportunity to learn legal theory and practice skills through supervised representation of clients, assuming primary responsibility for cases and working directly with clients to address their legal needs.
- Provided legal services to underserved immigrant clients, particularly those facing removal in immigration court, with responsibilities for representing clients in immigration court proceedings, drafting legal memoranda regarding criminal inadmissibility and deportability issues, as well as international adoption and foster care.
LAW CLERK
DHADE & ASSOCIATES P.C.
West Bloomfield, MI
01.2018 - 04.2018
- Served as a law clerk on behalf of a full service regional immigration law firm, assisting individuals with immigration challenges throughout the United States and internationally on matters related to political asylum, temporary protected status cases, green cards, citizenship, travel bans, and immigration delays.
- Managed a large caseload, conducted the intake process, reviewed documents, prepared legal memoranda on criminal inadmissibility and deportability issues, and drafted briefs, request for evidence responses, and other legal documents to support employment, family-based, humanitarian, and Canadian immigration applications.
LEGAL INTERN
INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE ASSISTANCE PROJECT (IRAP)
Amman, Jordan
06.2017 - 09.2017
- Assisted an organization designed to develop and enforce legal and human rights for refugees and displaced persons, reviewing documents and preparing evidence for refugee resettlement cases submitted to USCIS, UNHCR, and other agencies.
LAW CLERK
MASRI LAW OFFICE, PLLC
Dearborn, MI
06.2016 - 03.2017
- Conducted legal research and composed legal memoranda for landlord-tenant, family law, and immigration matters, and drafted affidavits in support of asylum applications based on specific country conditions.
LEGAL INTERN, OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR
CAIR MICHIGAN
Southfield, MI
01.2013 - 01.2015
- Assisted staff attorneys on civil rights litigation matters, conducting the case intake (in both Arabic and English), researching country conditions, gathering documents, compiling asylum and TPS applications, and filing DHS Trip inquiries on behalf of clients subject to travel issues and restrictions.
Education
JURIS DOCTOR -
WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL
Detroit, MI05.2018
BACHELOR OF ARTS - POLITICAL SCIENCE MAJOR, PSYCHOLOGY MINOR
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN DEARBORN
Dearborn, MI06.2015
Skills
- Corporate governance
- Regulatory compliance
- Policy development
- Alternative dispute resolution
- Negotiation
- Contract drafting and review
- Risk assessment
- Legal team leadership
Languages
Arabic
Native/ Bilingual
Spanish
Professional
French
Limited
Certification
- Licensed in the District of Columbia and Michigan.
- Admitted to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, the District of Maryland, and the Western District of Texas, among others.
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
TRIAL ATTORNEY
CAIR LEGAL DEFENSE FUND
05.2018 - Current
LAW CLERK
DHADE & ASSOCIATES P.C.
01.2018 - 04.2018
STUDENT ATTORNEY
WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY IMMIGRATION CLINIC
09.2017 - 12.2018
LEGAL INTERN
INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE ASSISTANCE PROJECT (IRAP)
06.2017 - 09.2017
LAW CLERK
MASRI LAW OFFICE, PLLC
06.2016 - 03.2017
LEGAL INTERN, OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR
CAIR MICHIGAN
01.2013 - 01.2015
JURIS DOCTOR -
WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL
BACHELOR OF ARTS - POLITICAL SCIENCE MAJOR, PSYCHOLOGY MINOR
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN DEARBORN