Riya completed her undergraduate law degree, BA., LLB (Hons.), from Jindal Global Law School in 2019 and subsequently, completed reading the Bachelor of Civil Law (B.C.L) at St Cross College, University of Oxford, in 2022.

Prior to her transition into academia, Riya worked as a Senior Associate at a pre-eminent Tier I law firm, as part of their Greater Corporate Sector: Real Estate & Infrastructure Practice. Riya advised clients across diverse industries, including private equity, renewable energy, healthcare, and debt financing for major infrastructure projects. Riya’s transactional expertise focused on managing leasing portfolios for large investment firms/MNCs/property development companies and REITs/InvITs.

In addition, Riya also has experience in Employment Law, particularly on matters related to the Prevention of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Act, of 2013. She has provided legal advice to companies and academic institutions, as part of their Internal Complaints Committees’ inquiries. Riya’s research interests lie in Property Law and Environmental Law, more specifically, the role of property rights & entitlements, interleaved with environmental obligations in advancing climate action. Riya aspires to develop a pedagogy that combines a doctrinal approach to reading law with aspects of clinical practice that equips young scholars studying law to transition into legal practice. She hopes to empower young students to engage critically with legal material, while also cultivating a strong sociological imagination in understanding the law.