The Legal Services Clinic of KIIT School of Law, organized its 1st Annual General Session on 26th February 2024. The session was witnessed in the presence of esteemed Ex Officio Chairman Dr.Rose Varghese, Patron in chief – Professor Dr.N.L. Mitra, the Faculty Convenor Assistant Professor Prateek Mishra, Faculty Members and Student Members. The session commenced at 15:08 P.M. with an introduction by the Secretary, setting the tone for an insightful gathering.
The Faculty Convenor, Prateek Mishra, shared his vision for the Legal Services Clinic. He emphasized qualities such as compassion, humility, and patience as essential attributes in the legal field and need of the same while working towards the greater cause of providing aid and awareness in the rural areas to those in need. The clinic’s role in dispute resolution was highlighted, and student members were urged to contribute their time, and dedication and to instil a strong sense of camaraderie within themselves while working for the Legal Services Clinic. Following this, a short video compilation of the previous works of the Legal Services Clinic was displayed.
Following that, the Ex Officio Chairperson, esteemed Director of KIIT School Of Law Dr.Rose Varghese addressed the session, linking jurisprudence with legal aid, particularly focusing on Article 39A of the Constitution of India which is a Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) provision for Legal Aid. She further elaborated on the Legal Services Authority Act, 1987 and how the act mandates on the need for legal services units in every law institution. She also highlighted on Justice PN Bhagwatti’s role as the chairman of CILAS (Committee for Implementing Legal Aid Schemes). She also stressed the importance of using pamphlets the to disseminate information on various legal rights, including those related to women and labor laws and local language during awareness camps. Additionally, she proposed the clinic to study waste disposal mechanisms and come up with remedies and proposals with the goal of making Odisha a pollution-free state.
The event continued with Professor N.L. Mitra, the Patron in Chief, emphasized on Clinical Legal Education and Legal Aid Rules, 2008. He also highlighted the contributions of Professor Neelakanta Ramakrishna Madhav Menon towards the Clinical Legal Education. Further, practical application of legal studies through Lawyer’s Diary submissions, and the establishment of the Legal Services Clinic near courts or panchayats were discussed. Mr. Mitra also urged the Clinic to organise a Clinical Legal Education Workshop and involve institutions at both state and national levels. Additionally, he suggested to conduct a seminar on the Bar Council’s mandate on Legal Services Clinic
The Convenor Ashish Kushwaha took the stage and addressed the gathering through an engaging presentation outlining the Clinic’s past work, achievements, collaborations, and future goals and vision.
Later on, the Secretary, Pranav Das introduced the various departments and department heads along with the department sub-heads within the Legal Services Clinic, offering an overview of their roles and responsibilities.
The session concluded at 4:30 P.M with a vote of thanks by the Co-Convenor Aniruddha Roy who expressed gratitude to all participants, guests, and organizers for their contributions to the success of the event. Subsequently, the department heads introduced their respective departments providing insights into their objectives, functioning, and plans for the upcoming year.
In summary, the 1st Annual General Session of the Legal Services Clinic proved to be an enlightening and engaging event, fostering a sense of commitment among members and setting the stage for the reaffirmation of the clinic’s commitment to legal education, awareness, and community service.
