Sharad H. Desai

Sharad Desai represents plaintiffs and defendants in all aspects of complex civil litigation in state and federal courts, including appeals.  As second-chair on the trial team in federal court, Sharad helped achieve a major victory on behalf of a class of pretrial  detainees in the Maricopa County Jails, one of the largest in the country.  The trial resulted in a far-reaching court order ensuring that conditions in the county jails are constitutionally adequate.  Sharad regularly represents mental health providers in civil and regulatory matters, assisting them primarily in connection with court-ordered treatment matters.  His clients also include attorneys facing malpractice claims or discipline from the State Bar.  In conjunction with his civil practice, Sharad also provides representation in civil forfeiture matters.

Sharad devotes significant time to pro bono work, primarily in defense of the constitutional rights of the accused.  In addition to litigating the rights of jail detainees, Sharad recently submitted an amicus brief to the Arizona Supreme Court on behalf of Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice and the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Arizona addressing the scope of Fourth Amendment rights.