Strengthening Access to Justice and Legal Education Initiatives

Alliance School of Law, Alliance University, Bengaluru, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA) to strengthen clinical legal education and expand legal aid and legal literacy initiatives across the state of Karnataka. The collaboration is intended to support structured engagement between legal education and access to justice mechanisms.

The MoU was signed at the office of the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority in Bengaluru. The agreement was executed on behalf of KSLSA by Sri H. Shashidhara Shetty, Member Secretary, KSLSA, and on behalf of Alliance University by Dr. Matam Viswanathaiah, Registrar. The signing formalised a long-term institutional partnership focused on experiential legal education and community-oriented legal services.

The collaboration seeks to operationalise Legal Services Clinics at Alliance School of Law in accordance with the provisions of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, and the National Legal Services Authority (Legal Services Clinics) Regulations, 2011. As part of the agreement, KSLSA will provide institutional and professional support to the clinics. This includes deputing advocates and legal officers, supplying legal literacy materials, and enabling coordination through District and Taluk Legal Services Committees.

The initiative aligns with the University’s emphasis on socially relevant professional education. Pro-Chancellor Mr. Abhay G. Chebbi has articulated the importance of integrating legal services into academic learning to prepare law students for responsible professional practice. Dr. B. Priestly Shan, Vice-Chancellor, noted that the collaboration connects classroom instruction with practical justice delivery and reflects the University’s broader educational mission.

Under the academic leadership of Dr. V. Shyam Kishore, Dean, Alliance School of Law, the Legal Services Clinic has already undertaken village adoption and has been involved in legal awareness and legal literacy programmes. These activities have focused on marginalised and underserved communities through village-level legal camps, dissemination of rights-based information, and support in accessing legal remedies.

The Legal Services Clinic initiatives are being led by Dr. Bhavana Chandran, Prof. S. Sivamanithan, and Prof. Sofiul Ahmed. Their work includes sustained engagement at the grassroots level through legal awareness drives, village outreach, and legal assistance programmes. Their efforts will continue to support the objectives outlined in the MoU and contribute to the integration of clinical legal education with access to justice initiatives.