M.V.P. Samaj’s Law College, Nashik has its Free Legal Aid Clinic and Counselling Centre for imparting Clinical Legal Education to the Law students as well as for providing free social-legal services to the needy and poor sections of the society. Being a professional course, it is essential to expose law students to the practical aspects of the legal field. The Legal Aid Centre aims at fulfilling this purpose along with it provides a platform to serve the poor and needy.

It works as a tool of practical training of students which is also a useful means for betterment of the disadvantaged sections of society. Through these Services College aims to make legal education socially relevant and community responsive. The full-time faculty along with practicing advocates as visiting faculty actively participate and promote the activities at the Centre. Through these students get an opportunity to learn client counselling, interviewing techniques and practical application of Laws to actual living conditions.

The legal Aid Clinic and Legal Literacy Centre is attached to The District Legal Services Authority, Nashik. So various programmes are organized as per their guidance and instructions. The students of final year are enrolled as paralegal volunteers with DLSA. They work in various programmes undertaken by the District Legal Services Authority as per the programmes given by National and state Legal Services Authority. Speeches of various legal experts are arranged to make students aware of practical aspects of law practice.

Services

Free Legal Aid Clinic and Counselling Centre of the M.V.P.Samaj’s Law College aims at providing legal aid to the sections of society which are entitled for free legal services enlisted under Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.

Following services are offered by it:

Legal Literacy Programs

Legal awareness is necessary for creating a fair and just social order. Common people are generally illiterate or ill-informed in respect of information about law. Therefore, the centre has been conducting legal literacy programs in its neighbourhood since its establishment in 2004.The Legal Literacy programs are conducted with the help of social organizations, social workers, Gram Panchayats, village Sarpanch, social associations, Rotary Clubs, Inner wheel club etc. The target group is villages, farmers, slum dwellers, women, school children, social workers and other common people. The programs are generally need based and information about law which will be most relevant to a target group is given to them. Their queries are answered. They are informed to personally contact the Centre for further detailed advice if they need in particular cases. Lectures by students, faculties, advocates are arranged along with discussions, posters, literacy material and street-plays for effective communication to people. The camps consisted of student and teacher’s presentations on relevant issues like Domestic Violence, Dowry Prohibition, Child Sexual Abuse, Consumer protection, writing will, etc. The sessions are made interactive and sensitive to the needs of common people. The experience is enriching for the students as they understand the real-life issues and the legal solutions applicable to it. This benefits people as their legal awareness is made and at the same time this activity facilitates clinical education of students.

Legal Aid Clinic

The Legal Aid Centre runs its free Legal Aid Clinic at M.V.P.Samaj’s Law College. Legal grievances of a wide variety like domestic violence, divorce, dowry prohibition, cruelty, land disputes, etc. are addressed here. The Clinic is run by students and teachers, with the help of social workers and practicing advocates. The Clients are those who cannot afford legal fees or who cannot go to a lawyer’s office due to some social or economic compulsions.

Consumer Redressal Cell

Consumer awareness is created through the legal literacy programs with the help of advocates, teachers, students, alumni, activists etc. The students create legal awareness during NSS camps in villages. The litigants are given advice regarding filing of consumer complaints.

Legal Advice

Advice in legal matters is given to all who approach the Centre, i.e., how to make a will, how to file RTI, how to approach Consumer Forum or civil/criminal courts etc. The consumer redressal is also facilitated through this Centre.

Lok Adalats

           Lok Adalats under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 have been introduced to reduce the burden on judiciary by taking initiative involving small causes and smaller crimes cases like insurance, motor vehicles, money recovery etc.

Through the Legal Aid Centre, students of the college are given an opportunity to participate in Lok Adalats held at the Nashik District Court. They are also able to actively take part in the proceedings of the Lok Adalats by way of reading cases and observing the sessions. This develops the lawyering skills of students.

Other activities

The Legal Aid Clinic through MVPS Law College participates in other activities for widening practical knowledge of students. Visits to Jail, High court, Supreme Court, District Court, Labour Court, Industrial Court, police station, Registrar office, forensic laboratory, Borstal school, trade union office etc. are arranged for students with a view to expose them to understand working and significance of these institutions.

Village Camps

Students of the college take legal literacy camps in villages around Nashik city. The topics discussed in these camps are pertinent to the living situation in villages and range from dowry prohibition, domestic violence, land laws of Maharashtra, laws regarding prenatal diagnostic techniques, Right to Information, etc. These camps are held in local languages. Many camps have also been conducted with the dual purpose of spreading legal literacy and holding legal aid clinics to address other legal grievances of the audience.

Interactive sessions with lots of questions and answers are held for legal literacy. Till date successful village camps have been held in many villages near Nashik including Velunje, Pegalwadi, Dudgaon, Pimpalgaon, Garudeshwar, Khambale, Girnare etc.