The GNLU Annual Legal Services Forum (“GALSF”) is the annual flagship event of the GNLU Legal Services Committee (“LSC”). The premise of the Annual Legal Forum is to connect and establish a foundation and a consortium of all Legal Aid and Services Committees across the nation, address pertinent socio-legal issues and to facilitate discussion and cooperation among the various LSCs/LACs.
The 5th GNLU Annual Legal Services Forum seeks to address multipronged factors affecting the access to legal aid for the marginalized communities of Indian society through a comprehensive discussion of the activities undertaken by various law schools and their legal aid committees, their best practices, round-table discussions amongst the best minds in the nation and lectures by esteemed dignitaries focusing on the building sustainable societies. The 5th edition of the GALSF will focus on the broad theme of “Inclusive Justice : Building Sustainable Societies”. The rationale underlying the selection of this theme is need to foster the idea of sustainable society and to ensure that no one is left behind. This edition of GALSF entails three components: (i) The GNLU LSC Grant Presentation; (ii) Round Table Conference; and (iii) Mediation Competition.
DAY 1 | 29th March, 2024
10:00 AM: Inaugural Ceremony – The halls of Gujarat National Law University are abuzz with excitement and anticipation for what the 5th Edition of the GNLU Annual Legal Services Forum holds. The participants have filled the Orientation Hall, the venue for the Inaugration Ceremony of the event. The inaugural ceremony is to be graced with Chief Guest, Hon’ble Justice Mr. Niral Mehta of the High Court of Gujarat, and Guests of Honor, Senior Advocate Mr. S.V. Raju, Additional Solicitor General of India, and Mr. Tariq Khan, Registrar of the International Arbitration and Mediation Centre, Hyderabad. The ceremony is also to be graced by Prof. (Dr.) S. Shanthakumar, Director, GNLU, Dr. Jagadeesh Chandra T.G., Registrar, GNLU and Dr. Hardik H. Parikh, Faculty Convenor, GNLU Legal Services Committee and Assistant Professor of Law, GNLU.
10:30 AM: The inaugural session started with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp, marking the commencement of the competition. The opening remarks were delivered by Dr. Hardik H. Parikh, Faculty Convenor, GNLU LSC. Marking the 17th year of GNLU Legal Services Committee, Dr. Parikh stated that the Committee works on two broad words, “Passion and Mission” and through GALSF, GNLU strives to bridge Legal Services Committees across the countries and facilitate access to justice. Prof. (Dr.) S. Shanthakumar, Director, GNLU in his address thereafter lauded the GNLU Legal Services Committee for the various initiatives it undertakes tirelessly. He stressed on the importance this forum holds as ideas and innovative solutions from Legal Service Committees of universities from across the nation will synergise the efforts towards legal aid to provide access to justice and ultimately create a consortium of legal aid clinics to utilise this pool of human resource.
10:40 AM: The Guest of Honour, Senior Advocate S.V. Raju, Additional Solicitor General of India, thanked GNLU LSC for organizing the event on such an important legal subject. He stressed on inclusive justice, the need for building a sustainable society and its interplay with environment laws. Citing the judgements of Vellore Citizens Welfare Forum v. Union of India & Ors., and M.C. Mehta v. Kamalnath, he discussed Precautionary Principle, Polluters Pay Principle, and Public Trust Doctrine. He also spoke eloquently on the burden of proof on the developers and compensation to be awarded for harm caused to villagers and to reverse the damage to ecology. Mr. Tariq Khan, in his address, interestingly opined that Mediation must be referred to as the “preferred mode to dispute resolution” rather than an “alternative to dispute resolution”. He highlighted the, often overlooked, concept of the difference between conflict, the root cause of the issue and dispute, the visible part of the issue. He highlighted the role of mediation in empathetic listening and validating emotions, which help in keeping relationships intact.
10:50 AM: The Chief Guest for the ceremony Hon’ble Justice Mr. Niral Mehta, Gujarat High Court, thanked GNLU LSC for organizing the event on such an important legal subject. He stressed that theme of inclusive justice and building sustainable society is not a subject of deliberation, but a call for action. He also highlighted the role of GALSF as a stepping stone for such actions. He stressed that justice was not a privilege, but a fundamental right of everyone. This would effectively leave no room for marginalisation or exclusion through systemic bias; every citizen must be valued, respected, and heard.
11:00 AM: The ceremony concluded with the vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Jagadeesh Chandra T.G., Registrar, GNLU. The participants and guests thereafter gathered for a group photo to capture the momentous occasion and commemorate the hard work and dedication of everyone involved.
11:30 AM- Pursuant to the group photo, the Chief Guest, Hon’ble Justice Mr. Niral Mehta of the High Court of Gujarat, and Guests of Honor, Senior Advocate Mr. S.V. Raju, Additional Solicitor General of India, Mr. Tariq Khan, Registrar of the International Arbitration and Mediation Centre, Hyderabad, Prof. (Dr.) S. Shanthakumar, Director, GNLU, Dr. Jagadeesh Chandra T.G., Registrar, GNLU and Dr. Hardik H. Parikh, Faculty Convenor, GNLU Legal Services Committee and Assistant Professor of Law, GNLU proceeded to inaugrate the third branch of the GNLU Legal Aid Clinic. This marked a significant milestone in its commitment to providing legal assistance to those in need. The ceremony took place at the entrance main gate of the GNLU Campus, with esteemed guest Justice Niral Mehta, Judge of the Gujarat High Court, gracing the occasion. During the inauguration ceremony, Justice Mehta displayed a keen interest in understanding the operational framework of GNLU’s legal aid clinic. Mr. Yajush Tripathi, the head of legal aid at GNLU, provided a comprehensive overview, highlighting the functioning mechanisms of three primary initiatives driving the clinic’s outreach efforts i.e., the Koba Legal aid clinic, Prison Legal aid clinic at Sabarmati Central Jail and Collaboration with NYAAYA. Justice Mehta expressed his appreciation for the commendable work being carried out by GNLU’s legal aid clinic. He conveyed his best wishes for the clinic’s future endeavours, acknowledging its pivotal role in promoting access to justice and legal empowerment within the community.
12:30 PM: At the end of inaugural session a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Gujarat National Law University and International Arbitration and Mediation Center, Hyderabad. The purpose of this MoU is to foster collaboration in enhancing the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) framework within the country. The agreement encompasses developing joint educational intiatives, research and editorial collaboration, student support and opportunities and joint research projects.
1:00 PM: The participants as well as the members of the organising committee dispersed for lunch. The Inaugration Ceremony is to be followed by a Plenary Session for the participants of the Grant Presentation and the quarter-finals of the GNLU National Mediation Competition running simultaneously.
1:30 PM: Members of the Organising Committee undertook the task of briefing the esteemed judges for the GNLU National Mediation Competition. The GNLU National Mediation Competition was graced by the presence of Ms. Jivika Jolly, Associate Counsel at IAMCH, Mr. Vivek Sharma, Associate at CAM, Ms. Isha Sharma, Chief Legal and Compliance Officer at Medicover Hospitals, Ms. Benazir Malick, In-house counsel at Devyani International Limited, Ms. Jhalak Nandwani, Assistant Professor at Auro University, Mr. Pulkit Thareja, Advocate at Delhi High Court, Sadaf Khan, Partner at Lexicon Legal and Shethin Chacko, Partner at Lexicon Legal as judges.
2:00 PM: Judges briefing was followed by the release of confidential information for the participants of the Mediation Competition. Participants thereafter were neither allowed to interact with each other, nor gain access to the internet. Release of confidential information, an inherently intense exercise, is often said to be an extension of the mediation rounds itself.
2:30 PM: The release of confidential information was followed by a Plenary Session and the quarter-final rounds of the GNLU National Mediation Competition running simultaneously. The Participants for the LSC Annual Grant Presentation gathered for Plenary Session I with Professor Deepanshu Mohan, Professor of Economics and Director, Centre for New Economics Studies, OP Jindal Global University as the speaker. The Participants for the GNLU National Mediation Competition gathered at their respective venues for the quarter-final rounds.
3:00 PM: The speaker of the Plenary Session, Professor Deepanshu Mohan, highlighted the critical aspect of examination of the content of law, identification of blind spots and adequate regulatory interventions. He also simultaneously focused on the context in which law plays out, and the conscience of implementers and executers. The session also highlighted specific challenges faced by vulnerable groups in accessing fair wages, including examples like the Kapashera locality in Delhi, where residents not only pay rent for accommodation but also for water usage through metered taps. The session concluded with the speaker outlining opportunities available through their center to address these issues and improve the situation for daily wage workers.
3:00 PM: A total of 8 teams qualified the preliminary rounds of the GNLU National Mediation Competition and are currently engaged in the quarter-final rounds. The quarter-finalists in the category of “Mediators” are NLSIU, Bangalore, NLU Mumbai, NLU Nagpur, HPNLU Shimla, GLC Mumbai, Lloyd University, Christ (Deemed to be University) and University School of Law and Legal Studies. The quarter-finalists in the category of “Client-Counsel” are NLU, Jodhpur, NLU Mumbai, NLU Nagpur, O.P. Jindal Global University, NLU Odisha, SLS Hyderabad, Christ (Deemed to be University), and University School of Law and Legal Studies. The Mediation Rounds are to last for a duration of 1 hour, followed by a feedback session by the judges.
5:30 PM: The quarter-final rounds of the GNLU National Mediation Competition ended with the declaration of results in the Orientation Hall. The participants are now all set for the semi-finals to be held tomorrow.
DAY 2 | 30th March, 2024
10:30 PM: Day 2 of the event commenced with the GNLU Annual Grant Presentation by universities across India. The theme for GNLU LSC Grant Presentation is “Formalising the Informal: Ensuring Empowerment of Street Vendors” and “Defining Standards of Dignity: Reinforcing Fair Labour Practices in Domestic Employment“. The grant aims to recognize and encourage students to undertake socio-legal initiatives and aims to further their drive for social work.
11:30 PM: Session I of the GNLU Annual Grant Presentation witnessed remarkable paper presentations from six universities across India. These include Anand Law College, Benett University, Karnavati University, Maharaja Sayajirao University, NLU Odisha, Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies. Presentations highlighted the efforts undertaken by the Legal Services Committees and Legal Aid Clinics in the form of awareness and interaction sessions, jail visits, “KnowYourRights” Drives, nukkad naataks on pertinent contemporary issues, educational outreach sessions, speed mentoring sessions, and so on.
12:30 PM: The Grant Presentations continued in full swing. Universities presented the empirical studies conducted on awareness and socio-economic conditions of street vendors and domestic workers as well as the challenges faced by them in the legal arena with insightful findings and conclusions. The studies also highlighted how despite ties with the District Legal Services Authority and Lok Adalat Sessions, empirical research highlights significant gaps in legal knowledge and rights awareness among street vendors and domestic workers.
1:30 PM: Session I of the GNLU Annual Grant Presentation was followed by the Semi-Final rounds of the GNLU National Mediation Competition. Members of the Organising Committee undertook the task of briefing the esteemed judges for the GNLU National Mediation Competition. Day 2 of the Mediaition Competiton was graced by Nikshita Niranjan, Senior Associate, IAMCH, Mehak Oberoi, Legal Head (Hydro- APAC) GE-Vernonva, Kunal Sharma, Partner, Singhania &Co., and Palash Taing, Manager, Tatva Legal as the esteemed judges. This was to be followed by the release of confidential information and the conduction of semi-final rounds.
2:30 PM: Preparations were underway for the third component of the GNLU Annual Legal Services Forum, the Round Table Conference. The Round Table Conference, a pivotal part of GALSF, brings together Faculty Conveners of LSCs/LACs and experienced individuals in legal aid and community outreach. This year’s conference theme, “Harmonizing Legal Education and Access to Justice: Empowering Law Students for Effective Legal Aid” recognizes the essential role of academic institutions and law students in advancing access to justice.
3:30 PM: The Round Table Conference witnessed insightful discussions by representatives from Gujarat National Law University, National Law University, Delhi, National Law University, Odisha, Maharashtra National Law University, Mumbai, Tamil Nadu National Law University, Dharmashastra National Law University, Jabalpur, Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies, Delhi, Karnavati University, Ahmedabad, Sardar Patel University, The Maharaja Sayaji Rao University, Vadodara, KIIT School of Law, Bennett University, and L J School of Law as well. The Conference was also graced by Mr. Vikram Pooserla, Founding Partner, CV Law Chambers, and Mr. Tariq Khan, Registrar of the International Arbitration and Mediation Centre, Hyderabad.
4:30 PM: The participating universities were in agreement for the formulation of a “Consortium” wherein every university joins forces to address the crucial role of academic institutions and law students in advancing access to justice. The declaration undertaken by the universities outlines key initiatives aimed at integrating legal aid into university grading, incentivizing students to engage in legal aid work, intensively training students for legal aid services, and fostering collaboration among universities to implement successful legal aid initiatives. Additionally, the consortium aims to incorporate ProBono activities for credit, encourage fieldwork as a method of research, and collaborate with legal aid clinics and civil society organizations. Their efforts also include formulating consultation papers on mediation in legal aid and establishing a legal task force to propose curriculum changes to the Bar Council of India. This collaborative effort signifies a significant step towards enhancing legal aid services and promoting social justice.
5:30 PM: The Round Table Conference was followed by the declaration of results for the Final Rounds of GNLU National Mediation Competition. The participants are all set for the grand finale of the rounds.
DAY 3 | 31st March
11:30 AM: Day 3 of the GNLU Annual Legal Services Forum kicked off with a second Session of the GNLU Annual Grant Presentation on the theme “Formalising the Informal: Ensuring Empowerment of Street Vendors” and “Defining Standards of Dignity: Reinforcing Fair Labour Practices in Domestic Employment“. It witnessed presentations from MNLU Mumbai, LJ Institute of Law, Ahmedabad, and Dharmashastra National Law University, Jabalpur.
1:30 PM: Annual Grant Presentations were to be followed by the final rounds of the GNLU National Mediation Competition as well as Plenary Session for participants of the Grant Presentation running simultaneously.
2:30PM: Participants are all set for the final rounds of the Mediation Competition set to take place. The esteemed judges for the final rounds of the GNLU National Mediation Competition are Mr. Kunal Vajani, Joint Managing Partner, Fox & Mandal, Monark Gehlot, Partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, Sr. Adv. Vikram Pooserla, Founder & Managing Partner, CV Law Chambers, Garv Malhotra, Partner, Skywards Law, and Tariq Khan, Registrar IAMCH. The finalists for the category of “Client-Counsels” are OP Jindal Global University, and MNLU Mumbai. The finalists for the category of “Mediators” NLSIU Bangalore and MNLU Mumbai.
3:30 PM: Participants for the Paper Presentation gathered for a Plenary Session II, delivered by Dr. Kalpesh Gupta, former Academic Associate at Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad and an Associate Professor of Law at Parul University. The Session revolved around the Theme “Legal Aid, Fraternity Collaboration and the Way Forward“.
5:00 PM: The 5th GNLU Annual Legal Services Forum concluded with the Valedictory Ceremony in all its splendor. The Valedictory Ceremony was graced with Chief Guest Justice (Retd.) Indira Banerjee, former Judge, Supreme Court of India. The Inaugration Hall of Gujarat National Law University is alive with fervor and anticipation as the victors of the GNLU Annual Grant Presentation and the GNLU National Mediation competition are awaited.
5:30 PM: The valedictory ceremony began with a welcome note to the dignitaries by Prof. Shanthakumar and LSC Convenor Hardik Parikh. Mr. Hardik Parekh while introducing the GNLU LSC to the dignitaries appreciated the efforts of the students involved in the Organising Committee of the GNLU Annual Legal Services Forum. The welcome address was followed by a special address delivered by Yashaswini Basu, Outreach Lead, Nyaaya, Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy. She lauded GNLU’s Legal Services Committee for playing pivotal role in data collection that facilitates better policy-making. This was followed by an address by Prof. (Dr.) S. Shanthakumar, Director, GNLU.
6:00 PM: Chief Guest Justice (Retd.) Indira Banerjee addressed the gathering thereafter, referring to the participants as the “future of Indian Judiciary”. She initiated her address by elaborating upon the concept of inclusive justice as socio-economic and political justice. She also opined that justice delivery was not just the responsibility of the Indian Judiciary, but lawmakers, administrators, and common people as well. She also drew everyone’s attention towards the significant role of mediation, especially in light of the pending litigations. Justice (Retd.) Banerjee also enlightened the audience with her experience as a judge and highlighted the role of organizations such as SWAYAM in the delivery of justice through legal aid. She concluded her speech by referring to a Legal Service Committee as the “bridge” between those who seek justice and those who provide justice. She encouraged students to utilise their legal education wisely to help those in need of justice.
6:30 PM: Justice (Retd.) Banerjee’s speech was followed by the most-awaited event, the declaration of winners. O. P. Jindal University bagged first place in the category of “Client-Counsels”, with MNLU Mumbai as the runner-up. The winner for the category of “Mediators” was MNLU Mumbai, with NLSIU Bangalore as the runner-up. The winner of the GNLU Annual Grant was Maharaja Sayajirao University, Baroda. Their Legal Aid Clinic was awarded with a fund of INR 25,000/-. The declaration of winners was followed by a vote of thanks by the Student Convenors of GNLU Legal Services Committee, Ms. Diya Vaya and Mr. Karma Shah.
With the Valedictory Ceremony, the event has officially come to a close. In the culmination of this remarkable event, amidst a symphony of achievements and shared camaraderie, we stand at the threshold of profound gratitude. As the curtains draw close on this chapter, let us carry forth the spirit of collaboration, innovation, and excellence nurtured within these halls. May the memories forged here continue to inspire and propel us toward greater endeavors. With heartfelt appreciation to all who contributed to its success, we bid farewell, knowing that the echoes of this event will resonate long into the future.
