Country Director

Ajay Shankar Jha joined the ILF in 2008 after eight years as a private advocate in the Janakpur area. Jha was called to the profession of public defense when he witnessed King Gyanendra’s government take control of the cabinet in 2005, throwing hundreds of innocent people into detention during the subsequent political turmoil. Since becoming a public defender, Jha takes pride in obtaining the release of innocent detainees from illegal detention. Jha has also served as the Chairman of the Janakpur Youth Club and was a founding member of the Mithila People Service Council. He obtained his Bachelor’s in Law from Tribhuwan University in 2000, and is a committee member of the Nepal Bar Association.

Surya Bahadur Pandey

Regional Director

Suya Bahadur Pandey, an attorney, has been a member of the ILF-Nepal team since August 2008. He previously served as the acting western regional director, based in Nepalgunj. He graduated from Tribhuvan University, Nepal in 1996.

Neelam Poudel

Kathmandu Director

Neelam Poudel, an attorney, joined ILF-Nepal in December 2008. She graduated from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, in 1994.

C.K. Poudel

Director of Administration

C.K. Poudel, the Director of Administration for ILF-Nepal, has been a member of the ILF-Nepal team since June 2008. He graduated from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, in 1993.

Mohan Sashankar

Lawyer

Mohan Sashankar, a staff attorney, has been a member of the ILF-Nepal team since December 2008. He graduated from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, in 2001.

International Project Director

Susan Lee, the acting country director for ILF-Nepal, comes to Kathmandu from the Bronx, New York, where she worked for the past four years as a staff attorney for Bronx Defenders, a New York non-profit organization that provides free legal representation to criminal defendants. While at Bronx Defenders, Lee conducted numerous felony jury trials; handled all aspects of representation, including arraignments; testified in front of the New York City Council and organized Know-Your-Rights trainings for local high school students. Prior to the Bronx Defenders, Lee held internship positions with several legal justice nonprofits dealing in both juvenile and capital law. From October 2009 to February 2010, she mentored 12 Nepali attorneys in criminal defenses representation as the Kathryn Wadia International Fellow for the ILF. Lee is a graduate of Yale University and the New York University School of Law. She speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese.

Bimala Yadav

Lawyer

Bimala Yadav, a staff attorney, has been a member of the ILF-Nepal team since August 2008. She graduated from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, in 2000.

Rakesh Kumar Sharma

Lawyer

Rakesh Kumar Sharma, a staff attorney, has been a member of the ILF-Nepal team since August 2009. He graduated from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, in 1997.

Bir Bhadur Khadka,

Lawyer

Bir Bhadur Khadka, a staff attorney, has been a member of the ILF-Nepal team since August 2009. He graduated from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, in 2002.