Attorney Shalini Sankar has been blessed with many opportunities and successes in life, so she has been paying it forward.

At the moment, about 30 per cent of the 37-year-old attorney’s cases are pro bono for nationals and non-nationals alike. She assesses their ability to afford representation, whether they could go to Legal Aid, if the need is urgent, and the impact the matter could have on the client.

Also, for the past six months, she has been part of the Community Justice Clinic where attorneys partner with the Police Service to provide free legal services to people in 13 communities around the country.

Sankar attended St Joseph’s Convent, San Fernando before receiving her first degree in business management at UWI. She then went on to study law at the University of Law in Birmingham, England and BPP University Law School in London.

She recalled during her first year at UWI no women were running for guild president, so she decided to step up and make a difference. However, the process soon became very political. She even received threats and eventually withdrew her candidacy.

“That’s when I realised that politics wasn’t for me. I don’t see politics as positive change. I find it’s too aggressive in TT. So my life goal is to be a judge and create change that way.”

She enrolled in UWI’s mentorship programme and was paired with former deputy CEO of First Citizens Bank, attorney Sharon Christopher who, Sankar said, guided her career, introduced her to people, and allowed her to participate in implementing Occupational Safety and Health Act compliance in FCB branches.

While waiting for her acceptance to law school she worked in Probation Services at the Ministry of Social Development.

One case that stuck with her over the years was that of a woman who was about to lose her child because she had a latrine rather than a toilet. The woman had planned to sign over her land to a lawyer to get help.

[caption id="attachment_960516" align="alignnone" width="691"] Shalini Sankar studied in England and trained with several queen's counsels. - Jeff K. Mayers[/caption]

“I just took my salary and gave it to her. It was the first time it hit me, the level of poverty in TT. I realised the money I might spend in food is the money someone might need to make a real difference in their lives. To see someone having to sacrifice so much to get access to legal justice, it just doesn’t make sense.”

Since then, whenever she is aware of vulnerable people in the justice system, she attempts to assist.

Then, while studying in England, she trained with several queen's counsels and was involved in a mock trial where the winner would meet the Queen, which she did on June 17, 2012, along with Princes Andrew and Phillip.

“I consider myself to be very blessed. I feel like my path in life is to give back to people and my country. To be able to give back as much as I get is something that I enjoy doing. It has really been great so far.”

Fight for human rights

Since graduating from law school in 2014, Sankar has practis