Role of Law Students as

Para-legal Volunteers

Ananya Gupta

BA LLB, KLE Societys Law College

Executive Member, Indian National Bar Association

 If advocacy is an art...
...then creativity must be
appreciated
- Anonymous

Para-Legal
Aparalegal,generallyspeaking,isaprofessionalwhohas
the required education and experience to perform
substantivelegalworkforwhichalawfirmorsupervising
attorneyisultimatelyresponsible.[1]

_______________________________________________________________
1."ABAStandingCommitteeonLegalAssistantsHomePage".Abanet.org.
Retrieved2011-11-23.

Volunteer
Volunteeringis generally considered analtruisticactivity and is
intended to promote goodness or improve humanquality of life. In
return,thisactivitycanproduceafeelingofself-worthandrespect
There is no financial gain involved for the individual. Volunteering is
also renowned for skill development, socialization, and fun.
Volunteeringmayhavepositivebenefitsforthevolunteeraswellas
forthepersonorcommunityserved.[2]
It is also intended to make contacts for possible employment. It is
helping,assisting,orservinganotherpersonorpersonswithoutpay.
_______________________________________________________________
2.http://www.nationalservice.gov/serve-your-community/benefits-volunteering

Ways to do Para- Legal

Volunteering

Internships
Tryprobonocasesifworkingincorporate
offices.
Optforunconventionalinternships.
ApneAapWomenWorldWide.(ITPAct)
CentralHimalayanEnvironmentAssociation.
MCMehtaEnvironmentalFoundation.

SocialSectorInternship.
(Amustfor1styearstudents)

LegalAidsCell
Trytobeinterrogators.
Seektheproblemswhichareleftoutbythe
commonvoice.
MakerulesforworkingandorganizationofGram
Panchayatsandkeepacheckonits
implementation.
Tellpeopleabouttheirrights.
If there are no rights, there is no need for
justice
- Justice Katju

AssociationwithNGOs
WorkforaNGOinyoursparetime.
TrystartingacollegebasedNGO.
Redrafttheirpoliciesanddutiesand
supportitwithlaws.
Workwiththeirlawyerandcontributeyour
research.
Helpthemingettingtheirregistrationand
taxexemptiondone.

ProBonoResearching
Conductsurveys.
FormIssuesandpresentthemto
competentauthority.Ex:BrokenRoadsor
foulwatersupply.
Contributeyourresearchtoalawyerwho
isfightingforasocialcause.
Criticize

Publishing
Publishwhatsyourview.
Useanythingoreverything;Facebook,
Blogs,Wordpress,Journals,Newspaper,
TV,Radiojustanything.
Makeyourvoicebeheard*ConditionsApply
Lobbyforcauses
JoinLegalclubsorlegalportals.

Role and Benefits

Beupdated.(LawsandGeneralKnowledge)
Increaseyourlogicalandreasoningskills.
Learnteamleadershipandmanagement.
Berecognizedandletyourvoice
resonate.
Learntocompareandcontradict.
SelfRealization,SelfActualizationand
MOKSHA.

Changes demanded
through the research
paper.

University Credit System

Present Scenario;
Acourse credit(oftencredit hour,orjustcreditor"unit")
isaunitthatgivesweighttothevalue,levelortime
requirementsofanacademiccoursetakenataschoolor
othereducationalinstitution.
Inhighschools,whereallcoursesareusuallythesame
numberofhours,oftenmeetingeveryday,studentsearn
onecreditforacoursethatlastsallyear,orahalfcredit
percoursepersemester.Thiscreditisformallyknownas
aCarnegieUnit

What should be
changed?
AdoptionofSocialCreditSystem.
Minimumquantumofsocialcreditsrequiredforcourse
completion.
Creditsmaybegivenonascaleof1to5bythe
institution.
Letterofrecommendationsandinternshipswillaccount
forcredits.
Creditsmightbedeductedpertainingtoinvolventinan
antisocialactivity.Example:Throwingtrash.
NSSorNCCcampsincluded.

QUESTION
HOUR

Thank
You