Norton Rose Fulbright partner honored with SABA North America Cornerstone Award

Norton Rose Fulbright partner Purvi Badiani Maniar (St. Louis and New York) has been honored with the South Asian Bar Association (SABA) North America's Cornerstone Award, which recognizes individuals who exemplify the organization's mission through outstanding legal work and impactful leadership with SABA North America, SABA Foundation or local SABA chapters.

Purvi has helped lead SABA since its founding as part of its national Executive Committee and served in several executive officer roles, including Corporate Secretary and Vice President of Membership. She played a key role in building SABA's professional development infrastructure, including its Business Law and Health Law Sections, which expanded opportunities for education, collaboration and mentorship across key practice areas.

Purvi also initiated SABA's Corporate Counsel Committee, enlisting its initial co-chairs from legal departments in Fortune 100 companies to strengthen the organization's engagement with in-house lawyers. In 2024, she led planning for SABA's second Corporate Counsel Summit, hosted in the firm's Toronto office, which was attended by approximately 50 in-house legal counsel including general counsel and other senior legal counsel from several publicly traded companies. Her local chapter service has spanned Washington, DC, New York, St. Louis, Delaware and New Jersey. While Vice President of SABA New York, she helped organize the chapter's inaugural awards gala, now in its 18th year and a model for SABA chapter galas nationwide.

Purvi is a member of the firm's healthcare transactions team, where she advises healthcare providers, life sciences companies and investors on mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and other key business transactions within the US and across the firm's global platform.

SABA North America is dedicated to advancing the rapidly growing South Asian legal community through professional growth and development while promoting civil rights and access to justice for the community. The award was presented at the SABA North America Awards Luncheon in San Diego on June 20.