Hon. Nahal Iravani-Sani is a Superior Court Judge presiding in Santa Clara County, California. She has dedicated her entire professional career to public service. She currently serves on the Superior Court’s Community Outreach Committee, Equality and Social Justice Committee, and is the co-chair of the Judicial Mentorship Program with the goal of recruiting and developing a highly qualified and inclusive judicial applicant pool reflective of the state’s rich diversity. 

 Prior to joining the bench, Judge Iravani-Sani was a Deputy District Attorney for 23 years, representing the People of the State of California through all phases of the criminal justice system, including Violent Felonies, Domestic Violence, Narcotics, Environmental Crimes, Consumer Fraud, and the Sexual Assault Unit. 

 Dedicated to education and mentorship, Judge Iravani-Sani instructs Trial Advocacy at Stanford Law School, instructed Trial Techniques at Santa Clara University School of Law, and coached the award winning Willow Glen High School Mock Trial Team. She enjoys serving as a mentor to the next generation of trial attorneys. 

In 2017, California Governor Edmund G. Brown appointed Hon. Iravani-Sani as the first Iranian-American judge to serve on the Santa Clara County Superior Court. She is currently presiding on the Felony Trials and Preliminary Hearings unit of the Criminal Division.

 In 2019, in collaboration with the Iranian American Bar Association, the Judge Iravani- Sani Public Interest Scholarship was established to support law students pursuing careers in public interest law.

 Judge Iravani-Sani has been the recipient of the Unity Award by the San Francisco Minority Bar Coalition, the Distinguished Service Award by the Iranian American Bar Association, and the Judge’s Night Diversity Award by the Santa Clara County Bar Association for her commitment and leadership in promoting diversity in the legal profession. Most recently in 2021, she was the recipient of the Santa Clara University School of Law Social Justice and Human Rights Award for her dedication to social justice issues.