Nitasha Kaur Sawhney is an equity partner at Garcia Hernández Sawhney LLP and a trusted strategist and expert in education, labor, and employment law matters. She advises public and private sector clients on complex governance, labor relations, employment compliance, and crisis matters, frequently serving as outside general counsel to educational institutions and employers.
Recognized for her strategic and practical approach, Nitasha works closely with executives and elected boards on high-stakes decision-making, labor negotiations, and organizational risk management. She regularly serves as chief negotiator and counsels employers on negotiation strategies designed to resolve disputes efficiently and avoid prolonged conflict.
Nitasha is highly experienced in conducting and advising on complex workplace and Title IX investigations, including matters involving senior leadership, sexual harassment, hostile work environments, discrimination, and misconduct. She is a member of the Association of Workplace Investigators and holds the AWI Investigators Certificate (AWI-CH).
Nitasha is deeply engaged in public service and civil rights leadership. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Sikh Coalition and the Foundation for California Community Colleges, and previously served as a Commissioner on the California Commission on Asian Pacific Islander Affairs advising the Governor and state legislature on issues impacting California’s Asian Pacific Islander communities.
A sought-after speaker and trainer, Nitasha presents locally and nationally on employment discrimination, sexual harassment prevention, workplace investigations, ethics, school bullying in a post-9/11 environment, and hate crimes. In 2013, Nitasha was invited to speak at the White House Commemoration of the birth of Guru Nanak, the first Sikh Guru. on the life and lessons of Guru Nanak. She was featured as an expert in the award-winning documentary Divided We Fall: Americans in the Aftermath addressing hate crimes impacting the Sikh community.
Her recognitions include being honored by the UC Berkeley Sikh Alumni Network (2023), receiving the Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Award for Excellence in Civil Rights from the California Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus (2011), the Public Interest Award from the South Asian Bar Public Interest Foundation of Southern California (2008), and the Spirit in Action Award from the Interfaith Councils of Garden Grove, Stanton, and Westminster (2006).
Nitasha earned her Juris Doctor from the University of California, Davis, and her Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Berkeley. She also holds Associate of Arts degrees from Orange Coast Community College and Irvine Valley College, where she served as Student Trustee on the Board of the South Orange County Community College District.
- Nitasha is active with a number of national and local civil rights organizations. Nitasha currently serves on the Board of Directors of South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), a national civil rights organization dedicated to raising the voices and perspectives of South Asian individuals and organizations in the United States.
- Nitasha also serves on the legal advisory council of the Sikh Coalition and as a volunteer with the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF).
- Nitasha frequently provides counsel on matters involving hate crimes, civic engagement, and employment discrimination. She also speaks on the issues of employment discrimination and sexual harassment prevention, ethics, workplace investigations, school bullying in a post-9/11 environment, hate crimes and was featured as an expert in the award-winning documentary Divided We Fall: Americans in the Aftermath regarding hate crimes in the Sikh Community.
- In May 2006, Nitasha was awarded the Spirit in Action Award from the Interfaith Councils of the cities of Garden Grove, Stanton, and Westminster for her work in raising funds and awareness to aid victims of genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan and her dedication to public service.
- In April 2008, Nitasha received the Public Interest Award from the South Asian Bar Public Interest Foundation of Southern California for her dedicated commitment to community service and public interest work.
- In May 2011, Nitasha received the Asian Pacific Island Heritage Award for Excellence in Civil Rights from the California Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus on the floor of the State Assembly.
Nitasha Kaur Sawhney is an equity partner at Garcia Hernández Sawhney LLP and a trusted strategist and expert in education, labor, and employment law matters. She advises public and private sector clients on complex governance, labor relations, employment compliance, and crisis matters, frequently serving as outside general counsel to educational institutions and employers.
Recognized for her strategic and practical approach, Nitasha works closely with executives and elected boards on high-stakes decision-making, labor negotiations, and organizational risk management. She regularly serves as chief negotiator and counsels employers on negotiation strategies designed to resolve disputes efficiently and avoid prolonged conflict.
Nitasha is highly experienced in conducting and advising on complex workplace and Title IX investigations, including matters involving senior leadership, sexual harassment, hostile work environments, discrimination, and misconduct. She is a member of the Association of Workplace Investigators and holds the AWI Investigators Certificate (AWI-CH).
Nitasha is deeply engaged in public service and civil rights leadership. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Sikh Coalition and the Foundation for California Community Colleges, and previously served as a Commissioner on the California Commission on Asian Pacific Islander Affairs advising the Governor and state legislature on issues impacting California’s Asian Pacific Islander communities.
A sought-after speaker and trainer, Nitasha presents locally and nationally on employment discrimination, sexual harassment prevention, workplace investigations, ethics, school bullying in a post-9/11 environment, and hate crimes. In 2013, Nitasha was invited to speak at the White House Commemoration of the birth of Guru Nanak, the first Sikh Guru. on the life and lessons of Guru Nanak. She was featured as an expert in the award-winning documentary Divided We Fall: Americans in the Aftermath addressing hate crimes impacting the Sikh community.
Her recognitions include being honored by the UC Berkeley Sikh Alumni Network (2023), receiving the Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Award for Excellence in Civil Rights from the California Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus (2011), the Public Interest Award from the South Asian Bar Public Interest Foundation of Southern California (2008), and the Spirit in Action Award from the Interfaith Councils of Garden Grove, Stanton, and Westminster (2006).
Nitasha earned her Juris Doctor from the University of California, Davis, and her Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Berkeley. She also holds Associate of Arts degrees from Orange Coast Community College and Irvine Valley College, where she served as Student Trustee on the Board of the South Orange County Community College District.
- Nitasha is active with a number of national and local civil rights organizations. Nitasha currently serves on the Board of Directors of South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), a national civil rights organization dedicated to raising the voices and perspectives of South Asian individuals and organizations in the United States.
- Nitasha also serves on the legal advisory council of the Sikh Coalition and as a volunteer with the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF).
- Nitasha frequently provides counsel on matters involving hate crimes, civic engagement, and employment discrimination. She also speaks on the issues of employment discrimination and sexual harassment prevention, ethics, workplace investigations, school bullying in a post-9/11 environment, hate crimes and was featured as an expert in the award-winning documentary Divided We Fall: Americans in the Aftermath regarding hate crimes in the Sikh Community.
- In May 2006, Nitasha was awarded the Spirit in Action Award from the Interfaith Councils of the cities of Garden Grove, Stanton, and Westminster for her work in raising funds and awareness to aid victims of genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan and her dedication to public service.
- In April 2008, Nitasha received the Public Interest Award from the South Asian Bar Public Interest Foundation of Southern California for her dedicated commitment to community service and public interest work.
- In May 2011, Nitasha received the Asian Pacific Island Heritage Award for Excellence in Civil Rights from the California Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus on the floor of the State Assembly.
EQUITY PARTNER
Nitasha Kaur Sawhney is an equity partner at Garcia Hernández Sawhney LLP and a trusted strategist and expert in education, labor, and employment law matters. She advises public and private sector clients on complex governance, labor relations, employment compliance, and crisis matters, frequently serving as outside general counsel to educational institutions and employers.
Recognized for her strategic and practical approach, Nitasha works closely with executives and elected boards on high-stakes decision-making, labor negotiations, and organizational risk management. She regularly serves as chief negotiator and counsels employers on negotiation strategies designed to resolve disputes efficiently and avoid prolonged conflict.
Nitasha is highly experienced in conducting and advising on complex workplace and Title IX investigations, including matters involving senior leadership, sexual harassment, hostile work environments, discrimination, and misconduct. She is a member of the Association of Workplace Investigators and holds the AWI Investigators Certificate (AWI-CH).
Nitasha is deeply engaged in public service and civil rights leadership. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Sikh Coalition and the Foundation for California Community Colleges, and previously served as a Commissioner on the California Commission on Asian Pacific Islander Affairs advising the Governor and state legislature on issues impacting California’s Asian Pacific Islander communities.
A sought-after speaker and trainer, Nitasha presents locally and nationally on employment discrimination, sexual harassment prevention, workplace investigations, ethics, school bullying in a post-9/11 environment, and hate crimes. In 2013, Nitasha was invited to speak at the White House Commemoration of the birth of Guru Nanak, the first Sikh Guru. on the life and lessons of Guru Nanak. She was featured as an expert in the award-winning documentary Divided We Fall: Americans in the Aftermath addressing hate crimes impacting the Sikh community.
Her recognitions include being honored by the UC Berkeley Sikh Alumni Network (2023), receiving the Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Award for Excellence in Civil Rights from the California Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus (2011), the Public Interest Award from the South Asian Bar Public Interest Foundation of Southern California (2008), and the Spirit in Action Award from the Interfaith Councils of Garden Grove, Stanton, and Westminster (2006).
Nitasha earned her Juris Doctor from the University of California, Davis, and her Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Berkeley. She also holds Associate of Arts degrees from Orange Coast Community College and Irvine Valley College, where she served as Student Trustee on the Board of the South Orange County Community College District
EDUCATION
Juris Doctorate from the University of California, Davis
Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley
Associates of Art degrees from Orange Coast Community College and Irvine Valley Community College.
Student Trustee on the Board of the South Orange County Community College District at IVCC.
ADMISSIONS
State of California; U.S. District Court, Central and Eastern Districts of California; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit; U.S. Supreme Court.
- Nitasha is active with a number of national and local civil rights organizations. Nitasha currently serves on the Board of Directors of South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), a national civil rights organization dedicated to raising the voices and perspectives of South Asian individuals and organizations in the United States.
- Nitasha also serves on the legal advisory council of the Sikh Coalition and as a volunteer with the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF).
- Nitasha frequently provides counsel on matters involving hate crimes, civic engagement, and employment discrimination. She also speaks on the issues of employment discrimination and sexual harassment prevention, ethics, workplace investigations, school bullying in a post-9/11 environment, hate crimes and was featured as an expert in the award-winning documentary Divided We Fall: Americans in the Aftermath regarding hate crimes in the Sikh Community.
- In May 2006, Nitasha was awarded the Spirit in Action Award from the Interfaith Councils of the cities of Garden Grove, Stanton, and Westminster for her work in raising funds and awareness to aid victims of genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan and her dedication to public service.
- In April 2008, Nitasha received the Public Interest Award from the South Asian Bar Public Interest Foundation of Southern California for her dedicated commitment to community service and public interest work.
- In May 2011, Nitasha received the Asian Pacific Island Heritage Award for Excellence in Civil Rights from the California Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus on the floor of the State Assembly.
