Norma Alvares is an advocate of the Bombay High Court and an activist on environmental issues of public concern, especially in her home state of Goa. Over the past 3 decades, she has argued over a 300 PILs (Public Interest Litigation) cases, taking up issues concerning environmental pollution, animal rights, and women's issues.
She was instrumental in obtaining judicial orders banning the killing of stray dogs and the cruel sport of bullfighting in Goa. During the mid-nineties, she started the Goa branch of People for Animals. She is also a member of the Animal Welfare Board of India since the year 2000 and has also served as a member of the Committee for Supervision and Control of Experiments on Animal.
Currently she is the Chairperson of the Federation of Indian Animal Protection organisations which has around 250 of the leading animal welfare organisations as members. She is also trustee of The Lawyers Collective, an association of the legal fraternity concerned with women's rights and related issues. In 2002, Norma was awarded the Padma Shri for her work for the protection of animals and the environment.