Deep Somani Interview
Q. You’ve built a community of people who see you as their go-to legal translator. When did the shift happen from being just an advocate to becoming someone who simplifies the law for the public?
For the first few years of practice, my work was limited to courtrooms and chambers. The shift happened when I realised that most people walk into a lawyer’s office only when things have already gone wrong. Simply because they never understood their rights in the first place.
I began making small videos to “translate” the law into everyday language, and the response was overwhelming. That’s when I understood that law doesn’t fail people because it’s weak, it fails because it’s inaccessible. Becoming a legal translator felt like a natural extension of the work I was already doing.
Q. Most of your videos break down complicated legal issues EMIs, loan defaults, defamation, matrimonial disputes into 60 seconds. What’s your internal method for deciding how much to simplify without compromising accuracy?
My rule is simple: Never simplify the law, rather simplify the explanation.
I start by identifying the core principle behind a topic, whether it’s defaulting an EMI or a DV proceeding. Then I ask myself, “If a client walked into my office crying or confused, how would I explain this in 60 seconds so they feel calmer and clearer?”
The goal isn’t to teach the entire law, it’s to make people aware of the rights or risks that matter in their specific situation.
Q. You talk about rights people didn’t even know they had. Which single legal misconception do you feel is the most damaging in India today?
The belief that 'law is only for when things get worse.'
This reactive mindset is dangerous. People don’t maintain documentation, don’t read what they sign, and assume that courts are the last resort when actually, 70% of legal problems can be prevented with basic awareness.
The idea that law is equal to punishment has overshadowed the truth that law is actually protection.
Q. Many of your reels respond to real-time news viral cases, police behaviour, court clips. How do you ensure that your quick take doesn’t drift into speculation, especially in a media environment driven by speed?
Speed is never an excuse to be irresponsible.
Whenever there’s a viral incident, I restrict myself to:
i. what is on record,
ii. what the law objectively says, and
iii. what procedure must follow next.
I never comment on guilt or innocence. My content is about what people should know, not what they should believe. My responsibility is to inform, not to influence.
Q. You often deal with emotionally charged subjects: harassment, assault, cybercrime, broken marriages. Has making public legal content changed the way clients approach you offline?
Clients now come in far more prepared. Earlier, people would walk in clueless and scared. Today, they say, “Sir, I saw your video on summons or evidence, I have these documents ready.” It has actually made my offline practice more efficient because people know the basics before we even start discussing strategy.
Q. One theme across your videos is procedural awareness. What are three basic procedures every Indian adult should know by heart but rarely does?
i. How to file a simple police complaint and how to escalate it if it’s not registered.
ii. How to preserve digital evidence, screenshots, metadata, email headers, CCTV requests.
iii. The basic difference between civil and criminal remedies, so they know which forum to approach.
These three alone can save people years of stress, money, and emotional turbulence.
Q. With the rise of short-form legal influencers, how do you differentiate yourself as someone practising law, not just commenting on it?
I speak from experience, not theory. Every example I give, every insight I share, comes from real cases, real clients, and real courtrooms. I am not commenting on the law, I am working with it daily. My goal isn’t virality; it’s clarity. And I think the audience feels that difference.
Q. You’ve spoken about obscenity, consent, digital evidence, and police powers. Which emerging area of law do you think India is least prepared for as everything shifts online?
Deepfake-based crimes and digital impersonation.
We are entering a world where someone’s face, voice, or identity can be used against them within seconds. Our laws are still catching up, and public awareness is almost zero. The digital harm of the next decade will not be from hacking, it will be from manipulation of identity.
Q. If tomorrow the government asked you to improve legal awareness among young citizens, what is the first structural change you’d recommend?
I would introduce compulsory legal literacy in schools and colleges the same way we have environmental studies. Not case laws; only real-life rights and procedures: FIR, loans, contracts, cyber safety, and consent. Legal awareness shouldn’t begin with a courtroom; it should begin with high school.
Q. You handle serious, sensitive topics but your communication style is calm, precise, and almost TV-studio ready. Did this clarity evolve from courtroom experience, content creation, or somewhere else?
A mix of both, but mostly from clients. Courtrooms teach you precision, but content creation taught me empathy. When people approach you with fear, trauma, or confusion, you realise that clarity is not a communication skill, it’s a responsibility. My tone evolved from wanting every person who listens to me to walk away feeling empowered, not intimidated.
Q. What’s one case or incident (without revealing identities) that permanently changed the way you look at the legal system?
A young father once came to me completely broken; his son had been falsely implicated in a serious case. I saw how one FIR had the power to devastate an entire family emotionally, socially, and financially. That day I realised the legal system isn’t just about justice; it’s about humanity. Every file has a family behind it, and every hearing can change someone’s life forever.
Q. A lot of people know the law only when they are in trouble. What’s your advice for someone who wants to build everyday legal literacy without studying law?
Two habits:
i. Read what you sign. Rental agreements, loan documents, job contracts; that alone will protect you from half the problems people face.
ii. Follow verified legal explainers, not forwards.
Five minutes a week of reliable content is better than legal panic created by WhatsApp University.
Q. If you had to explain one iconic Bollywood scene legally, which one would you pick and what law would it break within the first 10 seconds?
The classic scene where a hero slaps the villain in a police station. Within the first 10 seconds, it breaks Section 332 and 353 IPC that punishes obstructing a public servant and assault in a police station. Cinema takes liberties, but in real life, even your emotions are not above the law.
Bio:
Deep Somani is an Advocate, Practicing Lawyer and a Legal Educator.
Interviewed by: Nidhi
){kind=link}
0 Comments