Asian Law College, inaugurates the Pro Bono Club on 28th August, which is the initiative under the Department of Justice’s Nyaya Bandhu Programme (Pro Bono Legal Services) under the Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India.
The purpose of the program, specifically the Pro Bono Club in the college, is to provide aspiring Para Legal Volunteers with valuable insights and training, empowering them for their roles in the legal field and achieving efficiency and quality of Pro Bono legal services by involving law students as Pro Bono associates.
The session began with Ashish Bhardwaj, Assistant Dean, Asian Law College extending a warm welcome to the guests and acquainting the attendees with the essential concepts and purposes of Pro Bono work and legal aid services.
It was followed by Dr. Saleem Akhtar, Director Academic Advisory Board, Asian Law College sharing his experience regarding legal aid service, emphasizing its importance for needy and financially disadvantaged individuals who cannot afford expensive legal representation. The session was taken ahead by our Esteemed Guest Advocate Ankita Tiwari, who shared her extensive experience in legal aid services. She highlighted her ongoing work at the Delhi Legal Services Authority, where she contributes to providing justice to those in need, especially the underprivileged and vulnerable members of society.
Advocate, Ms. Sneha Sharma, Program Manager, Department of Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India discussed the features of the schemes “Pro Bono” and “Nyaya Bandhu.” She also highlighted the inaugural program for dispensing pro bono services, named DISHA 2021 (Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice), under which 4 verticals were instituted: Tele-law, Nyaya Bandhu (Pro Bono Legal services), Nyayamitra and Legal literacy and legal awareness.
She elaborated on the objectives and activities of the Pro Bono Club, which likely revolve around promoting legal aid, providing pro bono services, spreading legal literacy, and creating awareness about legal rights, all aligning with the broader goal of enhancing access to justice for the disadvantaged and underserved in the community.
Promoting a culture of pro bono work within law schools is an excellent initiative to instill a sense of social responsibility and practical legal experience among law students. Asian Law College will also add its own pro bono activities. All the activities would be carried out under the overall guidance of the Faculty-in-Charge Mr. Amit Nagar and in consultation with the Students committee Ms. Divyasha Dubey, the Programme Convener of B.A.LL.B, extended her heartfelt gratitude to the esteemed guests, faculty members, and students for their invaluable support in ensuring the successful execution of this program. Their collective dedication and cooperation have significantly contributed to the accomplishment of this initiative.
