IABA Foundation 2022 Scholarship Recipients
Sheila Zerang (The University of California, Hastings College of the Law)
Sheila Zerang is a 2L at UC Hastings Law. She was born and raised in Shiraz, Iran and moved to Los Angeles with her family at the age of ten. In 2018, she earned her B.A. degree in Sociology from UCLA. During undergrad, she worked at UCLA’s Immigration, Globalization, and Education Institute. After graduating, she worked as a paralegal at a business litigation and an immigration law office. She also served as a board member at an Iranian LGBTQ non-profit organization in Los Angeles before moving to San Francisco for Law School. In her free time, Sheila enjoys skiing during winter and skating near the beach during the summer.
Kimiya Haghighi Sprengart (Georgetown University Law Center)
Kimiya Haghighi Sprengart is a third-year law student at Georgetown University Law Center. She earned a B.A. with honors in Political Science and Middle Eastern Studies from Wellesley College. After earning her B.A., Kimiya spent two years in Israel working at the Bahá’í World Centre, where she conducted research and analysis and drafted official communications to support the community-building efforts of the worldwide Bahá’í community. Upon her return to the U.S., Kimiya earned an M.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service, with a Certificate in Diplomatic Studies. Throughout her time in law school, Kimiya has worked at Airbnb, Inc., White & Case LLP, and the U.S. Department of State’s Office of the Legal Adviser for International Claims and Investment Disputes. Following law school, Kimiya will join White & Case LLP in Washington, D.C., where she hopes to focus on international arbitration.
IABA Foundation 2019 Scholarship Recipients
Daniel Barlava (Columbia University Law School)
Daniel Barlava is a third-year law student at Columbia University Law School. He received a B.A. in History and Economics from Northwestern University, and followed his graduation by working for the U.S. Treasury Department. There, he supported law enforcement agencies’ efforts to conduct complex financial investigations. In his time at Columbia University, Daniel has focused on immigration defense, criminal convictions, and environmental litigation. Following law school, he will be working as an associate at the Irell & Maniella law firm in Los Angeles, focusing on public services.
Fatemah Shahkolahi (George Washington University Law School)
Fatemah Shahkolahi is a third-year law student at the George Washington University Law School. She earned a B.A. with honors in English from Notre Dame of Maryland University and an M.A. in International Communication from American University. After receiving her M.A., Fatemah worked at an international NGO on addressing the refugee crisis in Lebanon. Throughout her time at law school, she has worked as a judicial intern to Judge Robert McDonald in the Maryland Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court.
IABA Foundation Past Scholarship Recipients
2018:
Hirsa Admin (Yale Law School, 1L)
Salman Ameri (Georgetown University Law Center, 1L)
2017:
Sara Ehsani-Nia (UC Davis, 3L)
Neda Hafezi (UC Hastings, 3L)
2016:
Neda Tolooi (Loyola University)
Neda Saghafi (University of Maryland)
Laily Sheybani (UPenn,1L)
Seyyed Mohammad Hossein Sajjadi (Santa Clara University, 3L)
Sara Movahed (University of Maryland, 3L)
2015:
Sam Sadeghi (UCLA School of Law)
Anita Bamshad (University of California, San Diego)
2014:
Ava Badiee (University of California, Irvine School of Law)
Setareh Homayoninejad (UC Berkeley, School of Law)
2013:
Rachel Khalili (University of California Irvine School of Law $2500)
Sahar Maali (University of California Berkeley School of Law $2500)
Barzin Pakandam(University of Southern California School of Law $2500)
2012:
Z. Payvand Ahdout (Columbia University School of Law $2500)
Ramin Montazeri (Columbia University School of Law $2500)
Sima Namiri-Kalantari (University of California Los Angeles School of Law $2500)
2011:
Nima Rahimi (University of California Davis School of Law $3000)
Roxana Rahmani (Harvard Law School $3000)
San Diego Chapter Scholarship
Ashkaan Hassan (University of San Diego School of Law $2500)
Naziol Nazarinia (Thomas Jefferson School of Law $2500)
2010:
Pouneh Aravand (Yale Law School $3000)
Mehrdad Bokhour (Loyola Law School of Los Angeles $3000)
2009:
Siavash Alavi (University of Southern California School of Law $2000)
Arash J. Fuladian (University of San Diego School of Law $2000)
Sara Rezvanpour (University of California Berkeley School of Law $2000)
2007:
Tala Rezai (Emory University School of Law $1500)
Maryam Moravvej Farshi (University of Baltimore School of Law $1500)
2006:
Elham Kayvani (University of California Berkeley School of Law)
2005:
Mani Ahmadi (Loyola Law School of Los Angeles)
Sara Mahdavi(University of California Los Angeles School of Law)