Justice Sunanda Bhandare Foundation and QAble to host conference on Judging and Lawyering at the Margins

The Justice Sunanda Bhandare Foundation in collaboration with QAble will be hosting conference titled 'Judging and Lawyering at the Margins' at Indian International Centre, New Delhi, on August 2 from 10:30AM - 1:45PM.

The conference seeks to explore how lawyers and judges can meaningfully engage with disability rights, especially when gender, caste, sexuality, and class intersect to further marginalize individuals.

The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, marked a transformative shift in India's disability rights landscape. It provided statutory recognition to the core principles of dignity, accessibility, and reasonable accommodation, aligning Indian law with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

However, the law's implementation continues to be uneven, and the everyday experience of disabled persons remains shaped by legal invisibility, institutional resistance, and intersectional exclusion.

While administrative and executive directives have laid down pathways for compliance, the law's true potential lies in how courts interpret, and advocates represent these rights.

The upcoming will bring together senior jurists, practicing advocates, academics, and community leaders to reflect on the challenges, ethics, and possibilities of judging and lawyering at the margins.

Conference Themes and Panels

Inaugural Session Panel 1: Lawyering for Clients with Disabilities

Keynote Address

Justice Manmohan, Judge, Supreme Court of India

Speakers

• Justice AK Sikri, Former Judge, Supreme Court of India

• Rahul Bajaj, Advocate and Co-Founder, Mission Accessibility

• Praveen Prakashambasta, Deputy Commissioner, Office of the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities

Moderator

Amar Jain, Advocate and Co-Founder, Mission Accessibility

Discussion Points

• Common legal challenges faced by persons with disabilities

• Ensuring accessible and ethical client consultations

• Balancing strategic litigation with timely access to justice

• Institutional resistance in education and employment

• Advocating for reasonable accommodation in legal procedures

• Avoiding patronisation and ensuring dignity in representation

Panel 2: Lawyering for Women with Disabilities

Panellists

• Jayna Kothari, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India; Co-Founder, Centre for Law and Policy Research

• Shampa Sengupta, Disability Rights Activist and Co-Founder, Sruti Disability Rights

Centre Moderator

Sanchita Ain, Advocate-on-Record, Supreme Court of India

Discussion Points

• Gendered dimensions of disability in legal processes

• Trauma-informed testimony and confidentiality

• Navigating patriarchal and ableist legal institutions

• Criminal, civil, and family law challenges for women with disabilities

Panel 3: Queer and Disabled Lawyering at the Margins

Panellists

• Justice SK Kaul

• Saurabh Kirpal, Senior Advocate, Delhi High Court

• Kiran Nayak, transgender and disability rights activist

Moderator

Anchal S Bhatheja, Research Fellow, Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy and Founder, QAble

Discussion Points

• Representing queer and disabled clients in hostile legal environments

• The role of identity and positionality in lawyering

• Queerphobia and ableism in legal education and practice

• Building inclusive networks of support for queer-disabled legal professionals

Objectives of the Conference

• To foreground lived experiences in legal representation and adjudication

• To generate dialogue on ethical, accessible, and inclusive lawyering

• To create a platform for disability and queer-inclusive legal discourse

• To identify barriers in the legal ecosystem and brainstorm systemic solutions

• To build solidarity across movements and professional roles

Date: August 2, 2025

Time: 10:30AM - 1:45PM

Venue: Hall No. 2, Annex, India International Centre, New Delhi

Deadline to register: July 31 | Register via this Google Form

[Read Conference Schedule]