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Sonam Tshering

Assistant Professor

Assistant Dean for the JSW Law Research Center

 

Biography

Sonam Tshering is an Assistant Professor at the JSW Law. He teaches contracts, procedural and comparative public procurement laws and also privacy and media laws.  He is also the Assistant Dean for the JSW Law Center, Chairperson of Faculty Selection Committee, Taskforce Member of Law School’s Climate Change and Environment, and a Project Manager of Asia Foundation Grant.

Prior to joining the JSW Law in the fall of 2017, Sonam served as a Parliamentary Committee Secretary of the Good Governance Committee of the National Assembly and Public Accounts Committee, Parliament of Bhutan and also as Legislative Officer at the National Assembly Secretariat.  He also worked as Assistant Legal Officer and legal advisor in the Bhutan Narcotic Control Authority and Narcotic Control Board as well as Tobacco Control Board, Royal Government of Bhutan for over six years. For his contribution, he received the Regional Director’s award during the World No Tobacco Day in 2012, Southeast Asia Regional Organization, World Health Organization. He was also involved in Informal Working Group, Tobacco Free Initiative (TFI), World Health Organization in drafting the Protocol on Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and served as expert consultant in drafting the Timor-Leste in drafting their Tobacco Control Act under the South East Asia Regional Office, WHO. 

Sonam began his career as a Trainee Reporter with the Bhutan Broadcasting Service Corporation, Bhutan’s only National Broadcast Organization. He received the First Media Fellowship Award from, the Center for Science and Environment, an NGO based in New Delhi in 2009.  Sonam also writes a weekly legal op-ed, Kuensel, Bhutan’s oldest and largest newspaper 2019 producing over 150 articles. 

Sonam is a graduate of George Washing University (LL.M)  (‘18), Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University (LL.B. (’16), Post Graduate Diploma in National Law (“09) .and the University of Delhi (BSc.) (‘04). He is admitted to Bar Council of Bhutan to practice law in Bhutan. 

Areas of Interest

  • Commercial Contracts 
  • Contracts Drafting 
  • Litigation and conflict management 
  • Dispute Resolution: Negotiation
  • Media and mass communication laws 
  • Privacy and digital laws 
  • Constitutional Laws 
  • Election Laws 
  • Environmental Laws 
  • Arbitration laws 
  • Mediation laws 

Publications

  • Tshering, S & Dorji, N, The Role of the Constitutional Monarch in a Public Health in Victor V.  Ramraj, ed., Covid-19 in Asia:  Law  and  Policy  Contexts (New  York:  Oxford University Press (2020)
  •  Tshering, S. An example of need to enact good laws – a lesson through the covid-19 an example of need to enact good laws – a lesson through the covid-19. Bhutan Law Review, Bhutan National Legal Institute, (November 2020).
  •   Tshering, S. Anonymity and Freedom of Speech, Bhutan Law Review, 11, Bhutan National Institute. (21 Feb. 2019)
  • Tshering, S., The Bhutanese Media: As I See It, Press Mirror II, Journalist Association of Bhutan, 2018
  • Tshering, S. MBoB Indemnity Contract pp.11, Kuensel.(1 Dec 2018)
  •   Tshering, S. Balancing the right to vote and being apolitical.Balancing the right to vote and being apolitical   pp.10, Kuensel, (1 Sept. 2018)
  • Tshering, S. (17 March, 2018).  Are  our  electoral  laws  too  restrictive  and  the  citizen’s  right  to information forgotten?, Kuensel (17 Mar, 2018)
  •  Tshering, S., Comparative Study on Good Faith in Contract Laws of United States and Bhutan, (2018), Proquest, George Washington University, Washington DC, USA
  • Tshering, S. Naming and shaming: Freedom of media is not absolute, (1 July 2017).
  •  Tshering, S Spasmo Proxyvon, Justice and Rule of Law. The Bhutanese, (29 April 2017)
  • Tshering, S. Tobacco Control Law and its controversy. Bhutan Law Review, 07,11-14 (Feb. 2017).
  • Tshering, S. What constitutes defamation in the media and social media in Bhutan, (11 February 2017).
  • Tshering, S. Of Legislation: Who can make laws? The Legislative Journal, National Assembly of Bhutan, 03, 45-52, ( Nov. 2016)
  • Tshering, S. Fundamental Rights and Writs. Bhutan Law Review, 06, ( Nov. 2016).
  • Tshering,  S.  Delegated  Legislation:  Theory,  Practice  and  Application  in Bhutan. Bhutan Law Review, 5, 24-31, (Feb 2016).  
  •  Tshering, S.  Is Bhutan Ready for the Twenty First Century Hi-Tech Virtual World? Bhutan Law Review, 04, 22-24 ( Nov. 2015) 
  • Tshering, S. (2013). Drug Law in Bhutan. Bhutan Narcotic Control Agency, Miracles of Life, Bhutan Narcotic Control Agency, pp. 36-38 (2013).
  • Tshering, S. Butt Out that Fag for Good. K2-Giving Tobacco the Boot, p. 22. (1 Jun 2013).
  • Tshering, S. (2012). Every Thumb Makes a Difference. More than Just. A Vote Perspectives on Citizenship in Bhutan’s Young Democracy, pp. 14-15. (2012)
  • Tshering, S. (2012). Drug Laws in Bhutan. In Wangchuck, A Cry of the Heart Collection of Heartfelt stories on addiction (pp. 58-63), (2012)

Courses

  • Contracts Laws.  
  • Civil and Criminal Procedural Laws. 
  • Comparative Public Contracts.   
  • Privacy and Media Laws.  

Education History

  • LL.M. George Washington School of Law, 2018
  • LL. B New Law College, Bharati Vidyapeeth University, 2016 
  • PGDNL (Post Graduate Diploma in National Law, Royal Institute of Management, 2009. 
  • Bsc. Sherubtse College, University of Delhi, 2007