Ms. Bireda joined Sanford Heisler Sharp after three years as a member of the senior political staff at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, DC.
After suffering years of gender discrimination, enduring a hostile work environment and arguing for equal pay, my law firm attempted to turn the tables on me, even filing suit against me to silence me, when they realized that I was pursuing legal action against them. I was devastated after decades of excellent performance and loyalty to the firm, and oh so very vulnerable and feeling all alone. Words will never fully capture how grateful I am to Deborah Marcuse, who saw the injustice and unfairness and recognized the extreme impact it was having on me and my young family, for taking on my complicated case at a time when I know that she was beyond busy and for turning the tables back on the bad actors. The entire team, Deborah, Saba, Ryan, Lucy, and Carol, worked tirelessly on my behalf. They are an incredibly effective team and obtained a good result for me in mediation, but, most importantly, they were beyond compassionate. Thanks to Saba and Ryan for the amazing brief they submitted in response to the ridiculous lawsuit and handling the preliminary negotiations. Lucy and Carol, thank you for keeping me in the loop and staying on top of everything. You made mediation so much more bearable. And Deborah, you have no idea how much you did for me – not only did you achieve a great result, you helped me at a time when I needed it most, and there wasn’t a single moment that you didn’t fully understand exactly how I was feeling. You helped me get my life back, and I will never forget that. If you find yourself in need of employment counsel, I highly recommend Sanford Heisler Sharp. They are excellent lawyers; defendants respect them, and they will help you navigate through the intense emotional experience so that you always know that you are not alone. Am Law 100 Partner
Thank you all so much for the incredible work you did to get us here! Your attention to every detail really lifted the burden of this whole ordeal for me and I am extremely grateful to each of you [Saba, Ryan, Lizzie]. I'd also like to add that the expertise and thorough preparation this team brought to the table gave me complete confidence that we’d reach a desirable outcome and, ultimately, the resolution exceeded my expectations. I am extremely grateful to have worked with all of you through what was easily the most difficult experience in my career. Former Client and Associate at Am Law 100 Firm
I wanted to thank in particular Saba Bireda for her unwavering focus, patience, diligence and legal acumen. Excellent job…really well done. Many thanks to both her and Gabi Weldon for hanging in there with me. They are perfectionists and the result speaks for itself. And, of course, thanks to David Sanford for providing the strong foundation/strategy and for matching me with his team! Wow! I am still smiling with happiness from the result! I finally am sleeping at night and a huge burden has been lifted. Thank you... It means everything to me… I couldn’t be happier. A Female Television Executive
Saba Bireda is a Partner in the Washington, DC office of Sanford Heisler Sharp, LLP, a national law firm with offices in the District of Columbia, New York, California, Tennessee, and Maryland, and a Co-Chair of the firm’s Discrimination and Harassment Practice Group. She received her J.D. from Harvard Law School and her B.A. from Stanford University.
Ms. Bireda represents employees in individual and class actions involving race, gender, and pregnancy discrimination.
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Ms. Bireda joined Sanford Heisler Sharp after three years as a member of the senior political staff at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, DC, including two years as Senior Counsel in the Office for Civil Rights. Her experience includes service as a policy and legal advisor at Educational Counsel, LLC, as Deputy Director of the Poverty and Race Research Action Council, and as an Education Policy Analyst at the Center for American Progress. Saba was also a Philadelphia Bar Foundation Fellow, working both as a  Litigation Associate at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP and as a Staff Attorney at the Education Law Center in Philadelphia.
Ms. Bireda has written and spoken on a variety of topics related to civil rights and education. In May 2016, she was appointed by Mayor Muriel Bowser to serve a three-year term on the District of Columbia Public Charter School Board.
While at Harvard, Ms. Bireda was an Executive Articles Editor of the Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review and a Teaching Fellow for Professor Lani Guinier. As part of Harvard’s Trauma and Learning Policy clinic, Ms. Bireda successfully defended the rights of special education students in due process and discipline hearings. She also completed Harvard’s Trial Advocacy Workshop and represented defendants in criminal proceedings as a student attorney with the Criminal Justice Institute.
Education
- J.D., Harvard Law School, 2007
- B.A., Stanford University, 2001
Clinics
- Trial Advocacy Workshop
- Criminal Justice Institute
- Trauma and Learning Policy
Bar Admissions
- Pennsylvania, 2007
- District of Columbia
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. Supreme Court
Superior Architecture and Construction Race Discrimination Case
The action alleges Russell was subjected to a racially hostile and discriminatory environment throughout his 13 months of employment at Superior, and that Steinkoler discriminated against Russell throughout his tenure, ultimately terminating Russell illegally.
Maryland Unconstitutional Immigration Detention Class Action
The complaint alleges that during bond hearings before the Baltimore Immigration Court, the government violates the constitutional rights of detainees when it requires that a detainee, rather than the government, bear the burden of proving that they are not a flight risk or a danger to the community in order to be freed.
Fauquier County, VA Opioid Epidemic Lawsuit
Fauquier County, Virginia, filed the lawsuit in state court against more than 15 opioid manufacturers, distributors, and PBMs.
Montgomery County, VA Opioid Epidemic Lawsuit
Montgomery County filed the lawsuit in state court against more than 15 opioid manufacturers, distributors, and PBMs — including pharmaceutical titan Purdue Pharma and worldwide distributor McKesson.
Lee County, VA and Norton Opioid Epidemic Lawsuit
Lee County and the City of Norton filed the lawsuit in state court against more than 15 opioid manufacturers, distributors, and PBMs — including pharmaceutical titan Purdue Pharma and worldwide distributor McKesson.
Martinsville and Henry County, VA Opioid Epidemic Lawsuit
Martinsville and Henry County filed the lawsuit in state court against more than 15 opioid manufacturers, distributors, and PBMs — including pharmaceutical titan Purdue Pharma and worldwide distributor McKesson.
Norton Rose Fulbright/Chadbourne & Parke LLP Gender Discrimination Class Action – $3.1 Million Settlement
According to Plaintiff Kerrie Campbell, a nationally recognized trial lawyer and partner in Chadbourne’s Washington, DC office, female partners at the firm are excluded from positions of decision-making authority and receive less pay and bonuses even when they out-perform their male counterparts. There is only a one-tier partnership, with every partner characterized as an equity partner.
Page County, VA Opioid Epidemic Lawsuit
Page County filed the lawsuit in state court against more than 15 opioid manufacturers, distributors, and PBMs — including pharmaceutical titan Purdue Pharma and worldwide distributor McKesson.
Galax and Giles County, VA Opioid Epidemic Lawsuits
Galax and Giles County filed the lawsuits in state court against more than 15 opioid manufacturers, distributors, and PBMs — including pharmaceutical titan Purdue Pharma and worldwide distributor McKesson.
Washington County, VA Opioid Epidemic Lawsuit
Washington County filed the lawsuit in state court against more than 15 opioid manufacturers, distributors, and PBMs — including pharmaceutical titan Purdue Pharma and worldwide distributor McKesson.
Alexandria & Dickenson County, VA Opioid Epidemic Lawsuits
The City of Alexandria and Dickenson County, Virginia, represented by Sanford Heisler Sharp, LLP, and The Cicala Law Firm PLLC became the first municipalities in the Commonwealth of Virginia to pursue legal action against opioid manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) for their role in creating the public health emergency caused by prescription opioids.
KPMG Gender Pay, Promotion and Pregnancy Discrimination Class Action
In June 2011, Class Representative Donna Kassman filed a lawsuit against KPMG to remedy KPMG’s systemic discrimination in pay and promotion, discrimination based on pregnancy, and chronic failure to properly investigate and resolve complaints of discrimination and harassment. Later that same year, the lawsuit was amended to add Named Plaintiffs from around the country who had experienced discrimination similar to what Ms. Kassman had suffered.
US Marshals Race Discrimination Class Action
In July 2012, David Sanford, a partner and founder at Sanford Heisler Sharp, a leading national public interest law firm, received a decision from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on a class action appeal filed in 2007. The decision gives the green light for certification of a class complaint originally filed in July 1994, asserting that African-Americans are systematically discriminated against based on race by the U.S. Marshall’s Service (USMS).
- State Of Class Certification: Offense In Workplace Bias Cases
- Sanford Heisler Sharp Promotes Felicia Gilbert to San Francisco Managing Partner
- How Strong is the Case Against Davis Polk for Discrimination?
- The Gender Pay Gap is Still All Too Common
- OPIA’s Sanford Heisler Information Session
- We are African Americans, we are patriots, and we refuse to sit idly by
- Announcing the 2019 Women Worth Watching® Award Winners
- Sanford Heisler Sharp Announces Promotions & New Leadership Roles
- Cities Could Be Limited In FHA Cases After High Court Ruling
- Sanford Heisler on the Move: Firm Elevates Charles Field to Partner, Adds Cleveland Lawrence III to Qui Tam Practice
- 2020 Lawdragon 500 Plaintiff Employment Lawyer
- 2019 National Law Journal DC Rising Star
- 2019 Women Worth Watching® Award
