Shaila Nathu (she/her)

Shaila Nathu is a staff attorney for the Democracy & Civic Engagement program at the ACLU of Northern California, where she advocates for free speech and association under the First Amendment, government transparency, and voting rights.

Prior to joining the ACLU, Shaila was an associate attorney at the Law Offices of Kelly Aviles, where her practice focused on the California Public Records Act, Ralph M. Brown Act, and other laws affecting the public’s right of access, and served as assistant general counsel at Californians Aware. Prior to those roles, she was a deputy director of voter protection for the Maine Democratic Party during the 2020 election cycle. She started her legal career as a corporate attorney at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati PC and received her J.D. from the UC Law SF (formerly UC Hastings College of the Law). Before law school, she earned her B.A. in cinematic arts critical studies and philosophy at the University of Southern California.

With a passion for press rights in particular, Shaila volunteers as attorney co-chair of the Society of Professional Journalists NorCal Chapter's Freedom of Information Committee.