NLD Member Spotlight: Tarina Mand

Tarina Mand was recently awarded with the 2023 SDCBA Service by a New Lawyer Award. A first-generation college student and lawyer, Tarina received a bachelor’s degree in literature from University of California San Diego and was a 2016 graduate of California Western School of Law. As an attorney at Dixon Diab & Chambers LLC, Tarina represents plaintiffs in class action, mass tort, and employment law cases. She has tried cases in both state and federal court and says she loves working on these types of cases because the issues are challenging and exciting.

Dedication to the Legal Community

Only in her fifth year of practice, Tarina has already demonstrated her significant dedication to the legal community through her volunteer service. Tarina advocates for equal pay and for promoting diversity within the legal community and beyond.

At the SDCBA, Tarina served on the Committee on Diversity and Inclusion, as well as the County Bar Leadership and Outreach Committee; and she was part of the inaugural class for the SDCBA Leadership Academy. She also serves as Co-Chair of the National Federal Bar Association’s Diversity and Inclusion Subcommittee. She was recognized by the Federal Bar Association’s San Diego Chapter with their “Rising Attorney Award” in 2022.

Tarina served as a two-term President of the South Asian Bar Association (SABA) of San Diego from 2020 to 2021. She is also the current Chair of SABA North America’s Racial Justice Task Force, where she coordinates education and outreach efforts to confront racism and promote equality in the U.S. and Canada.

Tarina is dedicated to uplifting women in the legal profession and is greatly involved in Lawyers Club of San Diego. She has served in the past as Co-Chair of Lawyers Club of San Diego’s Advocacy and Reproductive Justice Committee. She also mentors law students through their Mentorship Connection Program.

Equal Pay Transparency Initiative

As further evidence of Tarina’s mission to uplift women and people of color in the law, during her time as President of SABA San Diego, Tarina launched the Equal Pay Transparency Initiative — a website designed to help bridge the gender and minority gap. Recognizing that both a gender and minority pay gap still exists, the goal of the initiative is to give lawyers the information they need to better advocate for themselves in salary negotiations. The result is a crowd-sourced online database that allows legal professionals to search for typical salaries based on several factors: how long an attorney has been in practice, the area of law, and the size of the firm. As Tarina puts it, you can’t adequately ask for the pay you deserve without the data.

Advice For Law Students and Young Lawyers

Tarina’s advice for current law students is to be open to all opportunities. There is so much that you can do with a law degree. Figuring out what you don’t like is just as important as finding out what you do. For Tarina, one thing she was always sure of was that she wanted to be a trial attorney. One way she pursued this was through an internship at the Public Defender’s office. Taking advantage of opportunities like this while in law school helped Tarina to acquire those skills that she uses in her practice today.

Tarina also stresses the importance of networking. San Diego is a small legal community, and in this community, reputation is everything. When you eventually enter the profession, someone you’ve made a connection with will vouch for you. Law school is the perfect time to start forging these connections.

For new lawyers, Tarina says something she wishes she was taught in law school is not to settle. There are so many factors to consider when looking for a place to work. Young lawyers should consider factors such as work life balance, firm culture, and the ways in which the firm is willing to invest in your professional development. Tarina is a big proponent of moving around and finding a firm that matches your values. Although her work is challenging, Tarina notes that when you find something you love, the work doesn’t seem so stressful.

Perhaps most importantly, Tarina notes that it is important to get involved in something that means something to you. It is clear that Tarina finds both joy and purpose in her advocacy, making her a perfect example of the values reflected in the Service by a New Lawyer Award.