Dr. Ananda Burra is a Senior Counsel at Democracy Forward, litigating in support of at-risk communities, including to thwart abuses of power and to protect individual and collective rights.

Ananda’s practice at Democracy Forward builds on his experience in complex litigation in local, regional, national, and international fora. Before coming to Democracy Forward, Ananda was an associate at the civil rights boutique of Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward & Maazel LLP, where he was part of major wins against corporate and government bad actors in the fields of climate misinformation, the rights of incarcerated individuals, and the rights of poor and marginalized communities. He was recognized as a “Super Lawyer: Rising Star” by Thomson Reuters. Ananda developed his litigation skills as an associate in the international arbitration and litigation practice at Jones Day, where his pro bono practice focused on migrant rights, racial justice, and access to courts.

Most recently, Ananda served as Associate Professor of Law and Associate Dean at BML Munjal University in New Delhi, India. He holds a PhD in legal history from the University of Michigan and obtained his JD magna cum laude from the same institution. His research focused on civil procedure, racial justice, and international law. Ananda clerked for Judge Joan Donoghue and Judge Giorgio Gaja at the International Court of Justice in The Hague and was a fellow at the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law at Cambridge University and at the University of Virginia’s School of Law. He received his BA from Williams College. After growing up in India and living in a half-dozen countries, Ananda is now based in North Carolina. He is admitted to the New York, DC, and North Carolina bars, as well as to numerous federal courts.