Sara Ghadiri

Sara Ghadiri serves as Chapman’s Pro Bono Partner, where she supervises and administers the firm’s pro bono programming, services, and partnerships across all offices.

Pro Bono Program

Sara coordinates Chapman’s pro bono projects and partnerships firmwide as well as collaboration initiatives with clients. She serves as a mentor and supervising lawyer on pro bono matters in various areas of public interest law and maintains a substantive pro bono caseload, much of which focuses on matters related to immigration, estate planning, pro se advice, advocacy for survivors of abuse, legislation, and impact litigation, both in and outside of state and federal court.

In her role, Sara seeks out new partnerships and strengthens existing ones, both with legal service partners and with business clients, to identify strategies for growth in pro bono work and launch new pro bono initiatives. She works closely with Chapman's financial institution clients to create pro bono partnerships with a focus on identifying relevant, succinct, and rewarding opportunities, many of which involve clinics with legal aid organization partners.

While in law school, Sara worked as a student legal intern with the University of Iowa Clinical Law Program, where she supported domestic violence, immigration, general civil, and family representation matters. She participated in Chapman's summer associate program and joined the firm as an associate after graduation as a member of Chapman's Litigation Group, focusing on commercial disputes, regulatory advice, and contested trusts and estates matters. Sara began coordinating Chapman’s pro bono activities in 2018 and moved into a full-time pro bono counsel role in 2021. She became Pro Bono Partner in 2026.

Legislation and Innovation

Sara leads the firm’s work in helping individuals access the legal system—work that has immense meaning and life-changing impact. These efforts include legislation and administrative rulemaking efforts to advocate for systemic change. She also leads efforts to provide smarter and better ways for legal aid organizations to deliver services to those in need. Together with Chapman’s Practice Innovations Group, Sara has connected four legal aid organizations with technology solutions and document automation programs that allow each organization to dramatically increase volunteers and the number of people who can be served.

Pro Bono Referrals

The firm accepts referrals for pro bono services from pro bono organizations, such as legal aid organizations, with whom we have established relationships. If you are looking for such a referral, contact a local legal aid organization in your area for an intake appointment. If you are looking for an attorney in connection with a criminal matter, this firm cannot assist you directly. You should call the State Bar in your state for a referral.