National University of Advanced Legal Studies

National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS) is a University located at Kochi, India. NUALS has been established to be a national level institute of excellence in higher learning of law in the state of Kerala by the Government of Kerala by virtue of the Act 27 of 2005. The curriculam, teaching methods and examination system shall be quite unlike in any conventional colleges in the country.

History

The National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS) was established by the Government of Kerala, by virtue of Act 27 of 2005 by taking over the erstwhile National Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), which was established and managed by the Bar Council of Kerala and Bar Council of Kerala Trust. K. G. Balakrishnan, Chief Justice, Supreme Court of India dedicated the National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS) to the nation here on January 7, 2006. Cochin, being the seat of High Court of Kerala, is the most ideal location to set up the first national law school in Kerala, and thus NUALS was set up in the heart of the city.

The Government of Kerala has allotted 2.5 acres of land and a permanent building on lease for housing the University. The Government has also allotted 10 acres of land on lease for 90 years near KINFRA Hi-Tech Park, at Kalamassery, in the outskirts of Kochi, for constructing the permanent campus for this University. Plans for construction are already underway. The Construction of boundary walls are completed. The University will be shifted to the new campus within a short period. The present Vice-Chancellor in charge of the University is Dr. N. Narayanan Nair (Chairman, Kerala Law Academy, Management Trustee, Bar Council of Kerala).

College Infrastructure

The Government of Kerala constituted this University by merging the erstwhile National Institute for Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), which was established and managed by the Bar Council of Kerala and Bar Council of Kerala Trust. NIALS was then the approved centre of the Cochin University of Science & Technology and affiliated to that University. By the merging of NIALS to the University all the students of NIALS became the students of this University and all the assets and liabilities were transferred and the 5year B.A. LLB (Hons.) course run by the erstwhile NIALS became the course of this University. The Government of Kerala has allotted 2.5 acres of land and a permanent building on lease for housing the University. Government has also allotted 10 acres of land on lease for 90 years at Kalamassery for constructing the permanent campus for this University. Plans are being formulated for starting the construction work. It is expected that the Head quarters of the University will be transferred to the new campus within a short period.

Library

The standard and quality of any educational institution mainly depends upon the facilities and services provided in the Library.It is considered as the heart and soul of an institution imparting quality education. The Law School Library has been an integral part of academic endeavour in Law School. The curriculum and teaching methods of Law School require both intensive and extensive use of the materials in the library. The Library is being constantly enriched by the acquisition of latest books and journals keeping in pace with changing times. With in the short period of three years the university has setup a good Library.

IT Infrastructure: The college has setup a good computer wing with unlimited Internet facility to students. All kinds of facilities are available in computer wing for the students including online search, printing etc. The subject Information Technology for Lawyers enables the students to be proficient in the use of computer as well as Internet surfing and essential computer usage.

A full-fledged Canteen is functioning in the campus. Photo Copy facilities are provided to students.

Moot Court Society, Legal Aid Clinic, Law and Economic Forum, Debate and Seminar Forum, and Law and Society Forum are functioning under the guidance of Teachers. O.H.P and Slide projectors are provided in the classrooms.

Curriculum

The Bar Council of India has recommended 37 subjects (including 4 training courses) for the 5 year LLB course. NUALS has developed an innovative style of imparting legal education, in keeping with the changing times and attitudes towards the study of law. The University implements the Socrates method of teaching, where the students and teachers engage in an interactive mode of conducting the classes. Students are encouraged to raise questions and voice opinions, and the teacher facilitates a healthy discussion by chipping in with his/her expertise. The academic structure is intended to provide a wholesome learning experience for the students. The students are either allotted project topics or are allowed to choose a topic of their interest. In either case, the research work and subsequent collating of information is done by the students themselves. The project work is evaluated by conducting internal examinations, seminars, paper presentations etc, which ensure that the student not only appraises his area of research thoroughly, but also articulates the same before a set audience. Besides, the students are also required to conduct Legal Aid camps and Legal Aid clinics in selected villages in Kerala. This provides practical, grass-root insights.

Evaluation

Evaluation of students is based on the division of 100 marks per subject into internal and external evaluation (50 marks each for five subjects every semester). Internal evaluation consists of test papers, project presentations/viva vocé/seminars, interaction in class, attendance etc. The semester-end examinations (written paper of 3-hrs duration each) form the external evaluation. A student who secures an aggregate of 60% or more in all the ten semesters in the first attempt shall be placed in First Class. A student who secures an aggregate of 70% or more in all the ten semesters in the first attempt obtains a Distinction. A student who averages below 60%, subject to the pass mark of 50 in each subject, secures a Second Class. Course Structure

Society, Science and Law, Medical Jurisprudence, Law and Medicine, Law and Forensic Science are some of the specialised subjects offered and taught by the experts in the field, so as to make the graduates of this University professionally competent. The students are also given full exposure to some of the socially relevant subjects like, Cyber law and E-Governance, Energy Law, Media and the Law, Environment and Law etc. Thus study in this University is made intellectually challenging and professionally rewarding.

Examination system followed at NUALS has been revamped; unitisation has been adopted, and the syllabus has been restructured in such a way that all the subjects have been divided into five units, such that a student has to study all the five units in detail, with a view to be thorough in the subject.

Teaching Methodology

The teaching methods at NUALS are varied. The discussion method, a combination of the case law method and Socratic method are employed in teaching the subjects. Extensive discussions are an integral part of each lecture. Seminars, Moot Courts, Workshops, Field visits etc. are used as a tool to activate the students and to give them intellectual exercise with an idea of developing in them an urge for learning the law in the context of practice.

The project work is structured in such a manner that the students are encouraged to do research and write on subjects of current importance. The project work carries 25 out of 100 marks and the students are encouraged to publish these in the leading law journals.

Syllabus

The syllabus of NUALS was drafted under the able leadership of former Director of NUALS (then NIALS), Prof Dr. K.N.Chandrasekharan Pillai, who is presently the Director of the Indian Law Institute, New Delhi. The syllabus introduces subjects relevant to the study of law, but never incorporated hitherto in the syllabi of Indian law schools. The work group drafted the syllabus bearing in mind the shifting trends in the legal fraternity in India and abroad

Faculty

The faculty members of NUALS constitute a highly qualified and professional team with a missionary zeal, who have what it takes to equip the students with a deep-rooted understanding of the law. Faculty members have, time and again, published books on subjects of their specialization, which include Indian history, legal language etc. Besides, they also have a number of paper publications to their credit in leading law journals in the country. The fact that a majority of the faculty belong to the Bar, and are reputed advocates in the High Court and lower courts, adds to their practical knowledge, which is of great help during classroom discussions. Guest lecturers and visiting faculty are part of the extended family of NUALS. The University constantly solicits the wisdom of experts and specialists who have carved a niché for themselves in their respective fields. They include, inter alia, Supreme Court lawyers, scientists, medical professionals, Heads of Departments of other Universities, Professors from foreign Universities etc.

Currently the members of the Faculty are:

Professor (Dr.) M.C. Valson, Dr. K. Balakrishnan, S. Sudheesh Kumar, D. Raveendrakumar, Jacob Joseph, Hari S. Nayar, Anil R. Nair, Mr. Shanmughan D Jayan, Sindhu Jayachandran, Adv. S.M. Prasanth.

Visiting Faculty

Visiting Faculty includes:

• Adv. Romi Chacko – Advocate, Supreme Court of India
• Adv. Srilal Warriar – Advocate, High Court of Kerala
• Dr. Kanthaswamy - Medico-Legal Advisor to the Government of Kerala; Police Surgeon; served as W.H.O Fellow in Educational Science in U.K and U.S.A; Honorary Advisor and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Medical Education, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS).
• Dr. Kylasanath Pillai - Advocate, Supreme Court of India & High Court of Kerala.
• Dr. Murali Krishna – Editor, Journal of Indian Academy of Forensic Sciences, Research Guide for projects of I.C.A.R.
• Dr. Rajan Mathai - Clinical Psychologist at Kusumagiri Mental Health Centre, Cochin. Assistant Research Officer of Medical Research, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS); Currently, President of the Association of Clinical Psychologists.
• Dr. Sebastian Champappilly - Advocate, High Court of Kerala & Author of several treatises on Family Law.
• Dr. Abraham P. Meachinkara.
• Dr. Sebastian Paul - Doctorate in the Law of Press; Sitting Member of Indian Parliament,
• Khan Sahib K. - Retired District Officer, Fingerprint Bureau, Kerala Police; Subject Expert and Honorary Lecturer at the Judicial Officers Training Directorate, High Court of Kerala.
• Prof. P. Leela Krishnan - Butterworths Fellow in London University; Emeritus Fellow in Law, Cochin University; Convener of the UGC Law Panel and UGC Curriculum Development Committee in Law,
• V.S. Sebastian - Faculty, School of Legal Studies, Cochin.

Eminent visitors

Eminent Visitors to the University are

• Justice V. R. Krishna Iyer - Former Judge, Supreme Court of India
• Justice. K.T. Sankaran- Judge, High Court of Kerala
• Justice Basant – Judge High Court of Kerala
• Justice Basheer - Judge High Court of Kerala
• Justice Padmanabhan - Judge High Court of Kerala
• Adv. Dushyant Dave - Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India
• Adv. P.P. Rao – Senior Advocate Supreme Court of India
• Adv. S. Gopakumaran Nair - Chairman, Bar Council of India

• Dr S.R.S. Bedi - Head of Archives Division, International Court of Justice, The Hague
• Dr.http://www.panos.org.uk/iwitness/summit/anand.asp - Consultant Editor to “The Hindu” (I.T.)
• Dr. C.R. Mukundan - Head of Research & Development Team at Axxonet Solutions India Pvt. Ltd.; Chairman and Chief Scientist, Brainex Fingerprinting Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore; formerly, Head of Department of Clinical Psychology, NIMHANS.
• Dr. Faizan Mustafa - Registrar, Aligarh Muslim University
• Hary France Nicolas— University of Paris, Nanterre, France.
• Dr. Jancy James - Vice-chancellor, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala
• Lydia Lazar– Chicago– Kent College of Law, Chicago, Illinois
• Adv. E.X. Joseph, Supreme Court of India
• Delia Heneghen, Faculty University of Northampton, U.K
• R.P. Dhokalia– Former Secretary General, Indian Academy of International Law, Former Dean Banaras Law School.
• Prof. Ranbir Singh, Vice-Chancellor NALSAR, Hyderabad
• Dr. K. V. Kunhikrishnan - Professor of History and former Registrar, Cochin University of Science and Technology
• Dr. Kuruvilla Thomas -
• Dr. Peter Schuck - Professor of Constitutional Law, Yale Law School, United States of America
• Dr. S. Babu Sunder - Head of Department of Computer Application, Cochin University of Science and Technology
• Adv. M.P. Raju - Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India
• Adv. Pauly Mathew Murikken – Advocate, High Court of Kerala
• Prof. G.V. Ajjappa -
• William Haydick - University of Friendurg, Germany

Tie-ups and Exchange Programmes

• Student-Teacher Exchange Programme with University of Paris – Nanterre, France. • Exchange Programme and Scholarship with Albert-Ludwigs University, Germany. • Proposal to get NUALS affiliated to the International Association of Law Schools • Proposed UNDP tie-up for Wayanad • Approved by Supreme Court in the panel of National Law Schools

Achievements

• Runners-up at the Stetson International Environmental Moot Court Competition, 2007 (National Round) and represented India at Stetson, Florida, USA

• Winners at the 2nd Surana & Surana Trial Moot Court Competition, 2006 • NUJS Moot Court 2007 • Winners at the 18th Kerala Law Academy Moot Court Competition, 2006 • Winners at the 17th Kerala Law Academy Moot Court Competition, 2006 • Winners at the ULC Bangalore National Moot Court Competition, 2006 • Winners at the 2nd Indian Institute Arbitration and Mediation (IIAM) Hamline Arbitration Moot Court Competition, 2006 • Winners at the 1st Surana & Surana Trial Moot Court Competition, 2005 • Runners-up at Henry Dunant Moot Court Competition, 2006 • Runners up at Calicut National Moot Court Competition, 2005

• Semi Finalist Philip.C. Jessup International Moot Court Competition, 2007

Have also won several prizes in the following competitions: • M.M. Singhvi Moot Court Competition, 2004 • A.K. Khan Memorial Minority Moot Court Competition, 2006 • Philip.C. Jessup International Moot Court Competition, 2006 • Stetsons International Moot Court Competition, 2006

Students have attended and presented papers at various national and international Conferences. They are as follows: • International Conference on Business, Law and Technology (IBLT) Copenhagen, Denmark, December 2006. • International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL) XVIth Congress on Law and Lawyers in the Service of People for Peace Justice & Development, Paris, June 2005. • VIIth Human Rights Summer School organised by Empowerment through Law of the Common People (ELCOP), Dhaka, December 2006. • Seminar on Treasuring the Future – Children’s Rights and Realities, organised by the Legal Assistance Forum, Indian Society of International Law (ISIL), New Delhi, November 2006. • South Asia-level Roundtable on Law and (Im)Possibilities of Democratic Social Transformation, conducted by the Law and Society Committee, National Law School of India University, Bangalore, in collaboration with the Centre for the Study of Culture and Society, Bangalore, May 2006.

Current Events

Career Opportunities

NUALS is proud to state that Campus Interview has been planned starting from the first batch of students coming out after completion of the course. A Standing Committee consisting of students and a faculty advisor is constituted for contacting the law firms and other industries to find appropriate placements for the students. Many students in the first batch have been selected in the campus interview and offered placements in leading firms like Amarachand Mangaldas, AZB Partners, Majmudar & Co., ICICI, Trilegal, Lakshmi Kumaran & Sreedharan etc.

The recruitment of batch of 2002-2007, which is the first batch is finished. the recruiters include Inter alia

• ICICI
• Reliance Industries
• Trilegal
• Majmudar & Co.
• Lakshmi Kumaran & Sridharan
• Wadia Gandhi
• ARA Law
• Headlines Today
• VJ Mathew Associates
• Sr. Adv. P.P. Rao (Supreme Court of India)
• Dandapani Associates
• Reliance ADAG
• Nicholas Piramal India Limited

The recruitment of batch of 2002-2008, is going on and the following are the recruiters so far:

• Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A. Shroff & Co
• ICICI
• Khaitan & Co.
• Trilegal
• Desai & Diwanji
• Wadia Gandhi
• ARA Law
• AZB Partners
• Quislex (LPO)
• Sathyam Computers
• Majmudar & Co
• Dandapani Associates

Only few more candidates are to be placed and recruitment process is still on.

External links

• Official website of NUALS
• First NUALS Convocation
• NUALS Dedicated to nation
• Calicut Moot
• NUALS Journal
• Law School Profile
• Legal Education Redefined
• KLA Moot
• In search of new frontiers
• an article by former VC S.G Bhatt
• ULC Bangalore moot
• NUALS wins NUJS moot
• convocation address of CJ
• Leading law schools of India

• NUALS
  NUALS
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• Prof Upenda Baxi with VC SG BHATT & Registrar Sudeesh KUmar
  Prof Upenda Baxi with VC SG BHATT & Registrar Sudeesh KUmar
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• pioneer batch
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