This interview has been taken by Priti Kumari, who is a campus leader at Lawctopus.
Please introduce yourself to the readers. Why did you choose law?
My name is Sonali Satpathy. I completed my BCA (Bachelor of Computer Applications) from University of Pune in 2014. Post that, I did my MCA (Master of Computer Applications) via Jaipur National University.
After my graduation, I was working as a freelancer and with that, I did began with my entrepreneurial journey. During this journey, while serving my industrial clients, I faced numerous challenges in the legal perspective and the legal guidance from various professional confused me a lot.
So, this confusion, somewhere boosted me to pursue LLB and I took admission and started studying law.
Tell us about you law school journey also highlight some of your academic achievements.
“Lawyers are professional liars”
This statement we heard as kids, and always used to laugh at it, whenever we met a lawyer. And bollywood has played a vital role in signifying this statement for us as kids.
Later on, when I joined law school, I submerged within the books to give my industrial clients a clear understanding on their required subjects. Seeing the satisfaction on my client’s side with the solutions and perspectives on their legal requirement, kept me hungry to read more and more.
I was also practising as a POSH IC Member and Sexual Harassment was a topic, that has always got me kicking.
During the 3 years of my practice, I started educating people via my social media handles, on various things covering the SHPC Acts & laws, and people started giving various kinds of mixed responses to it.
I started taking open ended sessions for the general public, awareness sessions for industries and also started training the IC.
I had been offered to be a part of the IC for various reputed organizations, during the tenure itself, which gave me enough confidence and support to move ahead with my practice.
You have been more than 8 years in this field what are your best and worst experience?
Being in the field, you deal with experiences day – in and day – out.
Basically, the general public is aware of a very restricted fields of law, and that’s where you – “an advocate”, turns up as a good advisor.
The best experience could never be summed up in words or numbers, but being in a region, where awareness is always a major concern. The best experiences are when a client turns up to you with a problem, and they seem terribly tense knowing the cost of litigation and everything, but you advise them with an alternate solution that is both legal and pocket – friendly. That pleasant sense of relief on the face of the client is always the most chilling moment for me.
I do not have any worst experience to name, because every situation gives me a learning experience, and as long as you are learning something, there is PRACTICALLY no bad experience.
Tell us about your NGO Run Smile and let Smile Association. What is the vision behind it and what are it’s goals?
The NGO “Smile and Let Smile Association” deals with issues on welfare of women, children & labour.
We are working on an initiative called “ONE RUPEE FOR CHANGE”.
This initiative is basically working on eradicating hunger from society. It is fairly difficult for people to donate hefty sums of money to people for their needs. So we are looking for Rs. 1/- as donation and we are identifying places wherein people are unable to provide 2 times of food for themselves, and we try our best to support them.
“Eradicating hunger & poverty” is our dream mission and we would work on all possible steps to make this dream a reality.
Some of our other signature projects include:
- “Labour Safety & Hygiene” session & camps: Conducting camps in various industries for their labours, to create awareness for their personal and industrial hygiene and safety.
- Anti – Depression Campaign: Conducting anti – depression campaigns for those suffering from depression, suicidal tendencies, and other forms of mental depressions etc.
- Health Check – up camps: Conducting health check – up camps for people who cannot afford basic medical amenities or routine check-ups required to keep them fit and fine.
- Wall of benefits: Creating a common area, where needy people can get the things of their requirements, and others can donate for the same.
We are doing our part in creating a better India which provides basic amenities and requirements to every citizen of the country, and to work towards the eradication of the major problems of the society.
You are an entrepreneur, freelancer and now an advocate what you enjoy being the most and how you manage to play all the roles?
It’s really fun playing all these roles and it is really tough for me to choose 1 of those. I love being able to play all those roles at once.
Management is easy when it is not management, but when it is your passion, and that is my superpower.
What motivates you to go on and do what you are doing?
I love being able to help and support people, and that’s what drives me with my work.
Please give a small piece of advice for readers who are budding lawyers.
The old advice says – “Don’t put your hands over everything, you will never succeed that way”
The new one says – “Try everything. Whatever intrigues you, whatever excites you, just do it. Enjoy your fear. There is no one right way to do something.”
This Interview is a part of our Star Student/Faculty interview series wherein our campus leaders interview the star student/faculty of their college. Stay tuned for more!
Source: Lawctopus
