The Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur (HNLU) recently organized virtual panel discussions on community lawyering and judicial ethics on December 28 and 29, 2024 as part of its Career Development Conclave 2.0.
The first session on "Community Lawyering: Strategies for Building a Successful Career in Social Justice" was held on December 28 and began with a welcome address by Dr. Kiran Kori who gave insight into community lawyering to address the legal needs of undeserved communities.
Dr Ankit Awasthi highlighted the objectives of the Career Development Conclave (CDC) and commented on the significance of collaboration between law schools and civil society organizations to promote social justice.
Professor and Executive, Director of Clinical Programmes, Jindal Global Law School, Prof Ajay Kumar Pandey shared his experiences at the Indian Social Institute's Department of Legal Aid and presented a model for providing legal empowerment programs. Citing impactful initiatives, such as the Zenith Legal Aid Centre in Madhya Pradesh, he emphasized the need to uphold constitutional values.
Secretary of the District Legal Services Authority at Korba and HNLU alumnus, Dimple spoke on the barriers to accessing justice and highlighted the pivotal role of paralegal volunteers in raising awareness and supporting vulnerable groups.
Advocate-on-Record, Pragya Parijat detailed her involvement in significant cases concerning environment and public interest litigation.
The second session held on December 29 focused on 'Judicial Ethics and Professionalism: A Guide to Judicial Service Careers' and featured civil judges Akshita Shukla (from the Madhya Pradesh judicial service), Shashank Shekhar (Bihar) and Shashwat Dubey (Chhattisgarh), all alumni of HNLU.
Shukla emphasized on professional integrity and self-restraint, sharing insights on balancing judicial responsibilities and personal opinions.
Shekhar provided a balanced perspective on career choices, underscoring the stability and societal contribution offered by judicial services. He encouraged aspirants to prioritize their goals and maintain a positive outlook.
Dubey highlighted the importance of consistency, time management, and mental resilience in judicial preparation. He advocated for studying bare acts and leveraging past examination questions while maintaining physical and mental well-being. He also stressed on the ethical responsibilities of judicial officers and spoke of the integration of technology in court administration.
The sessions ended with question-and-answer segments. CDC co-coordinator Abhinav K Shukla delivered the vote of thanks.
The sessions were organized by HNLU's Internship and Recruitment Coordination Committee (IRC) in collaboration with Centre for Law and Human Rights and the Centre for ADR and Justice Delivery System, as part of HNLU's efforts to foster excellence in legal education and career development through R-Has@ HNLU (Research- Hub and Spoke) Model.