Sayonara Telles-Laad, the president of the Children’s Court for the State of Goa and former member secretary of the Goa State Legal Services Authority has recently released her third book, Connecting to Serve…Legal Services (My Journey…A Memoir). The book was launched by former paralegal volunteer Maria Angelica D’Souza in the presence of distinguished guests.
Sayonara holds a law degree from Kare College of Law (affiliated with the University of Bombay), passing her final year LLB exams with flying colours. She was awarded the academic excellence prize in the year 1987.
Beginning her practice as an advocate on December 3, 1987, Sayonara went on to join the Department of Prosecution in Goa as the assistant public prosecutor in the year 1992.
She joined the Goa Judiciary in the year 1996 as a civil judge (junior division) and judicial magistrate (first class) and rose to the rank of district and sessions judge.
Sayonara took charge as the first full-time member secretary of the Goa State Legal Services Authority on February 25, 2019, until her appointment as the president of the Children’s Court for the State of Goa on March 14, 2022. She was appointed chairperson in the Complaints Committee for the District and Subordinate Courts, North Goa.
She also held the post of the chairperson of Bicholim, Quepem and Ponda Taluka Legal Services Committee and the secretary of the District Legal Services Authority, North Goa (2014).
Sayonara designed the Legal Services Fete, an awareness- services-entertainment programme, for one and a half day, which was the first of its kind in the country. Mega Legal Services Camps were born in the year 2016, and formulated under a module.
Her journey with legal services began when she was the civil judge (senior division) and judicial magistrate (first class) at Quepem and the chairperson of the Taluka Legal Services Committee.
The means to Alternate Disputes Redressal Forums has always been close to her heart, since she believes that disputes can be settled quickly, it saves a lot of money, and it could prevent a stressed mind, which can cause various health issues. She was also appointed judge mediator for South Goa.
Sayonara has contributed several articles to leading English dailies and magazines. She has also compiled her articles and published them as books, My Collections and Cheers! Laugh Out Loud, amidst the pandemic in the year 2020.
She has compered as well as presented programmes for All India Radio, Panjim. She has been awarded several merit certificates and prizes for sports and cultural activities.
Sayonara was felicitated with the Adharsh Mahila International Women Achievers Award 2019 by the Legal Rights Council – India and CPDHE – University of Delhi, in Delhi.
The Postal Department, Goa division, honoured Sayonara Telles-Laad with My Stamp on the occasion of International Women’s Day 2022. The Goa State Legal Services Authority felicitated her for outstanding services to the legal services institution on the occasion of International Women’s Day 2022.
She has been featured in the magazines Business Goa and Incredible Goa representing woman power on International Women’s Day.
She has also been featured in the festival style book Peacock magazine released by the International Film Festival of India in the years 2019 and 2021.
The author has left no stone unturned during her tenure as the chairperson of the Taluka Legal Services Committees; the secretary of the North Goa District Services Authority; the member secretary of the Goa State Legal Services Authority as well as a judicial officer to spread awareness with respect to Alternate Disputes Redressal Forums, particularly Lok Adalat and mediation, and schemes of the government and laws.
The chapters of the book Connecting to Serve…Legal Services (My Journey…A Memoir) are arranged to give insight into the services and schemes of the legal services institutions, the activities and the efforts put in by the various stakeholders to connect to serve the beneficiaries.
The author has also included some important events during her association with the legal services and her tenure as a member secretary in Goa State Legal Services Authority along with a few pictures.
Sayonara hopes to create awareness about the benefits of the settlement of cases by mediation and Lok Adalats.
The book is available at Printer’s Devil, Porvorim; Delfino’s, Porvorim; Singbal’s, Panjim and ARZ, Vasco, Goa.
