Susheel, Advocate, Sagar
Susheel, Advocate, Sagar
Susheel has been working with CSJ since 2011 and now serves as the coordinator of the Sagar centre of Kanooni Margdarshan Kendra in Madhya Pradesh. Prior to joining CSJ, he was an advocate who grew increasingly disillusioned with the profession due to a bad senior. Subsequently, he has rediscovered the power of the law to bring about social change. Training events and Jaher sabha provide inspiration for him to continue his work.
He gets angry when office staff do not work - his first instinct is to yell at them, and subsequently to attempt to make them understand.
In his initial days, he felt intimidated but his confidence has now grown and he is confident even while addressing a group.
He recalls a case in Semra block where kerosene oil was poured on an adivasi woman who was objecting to illegal alcohol sale being made by men from the dominant yadav caste. The organisation’s involvement then led to the event being booked under the SC ST PoA Act, and the victim was awarded compensation under the same. This success validated his belief in social ustice lawyering.
Unlike the others, he does not come from a lived experience of discrimination and his exposure to the same began only after he joined the organisation. His thought process changed substantially, as a result: he now approaches issues from a social angle, where earlier he did so commercially.
He admits that after being linked with the centre, he has transitioned from being a professional lawyer into a social justice lawyer. His understanding of law and legal aid has undergone a transformation. Earlier he was preoccupied with monetary rewards which are a result of a traditional lawyer client relationship, but his priorities have itself changed.