Interestingly, the private sector and foreign firms are not only hiring from NLSIU but also funding endowment chairs to sponsor legal experts who conduct classes for students in specialized and developing areas of law. For instance, financial services giant ICICI Ltd holds a chair on business laws and Reliance Industries Ltd holds a chair on corporate governance. Leading UK firm Allen and Overy Llp. in January set up a chair on international financial law, the first of its kind in the history of legal education in India. Allen and Overy also recruits from NLSIU for its London offices.
Back at his vice-chancellor’s office, the phone lines are busy with calls from prospective students anxious to find out how the admissions after the CLAT results will roll out.
As NLSIU celebrates its 20th anniversary celebrations this year, it is poised to witness many changes in the academic year 2008-09. Old professors are due to retire and there will be a change of guard in the administration with Jayagovind and Registrar V. Vijayakumar completing their five- year tenures.
“While our five-year programme covers the basics, it could be changed to make it a lot more specialized with more optional courses like in the newer law schools like NUJS. Our course structure needs to be reworked with more optional courses,” says Abraham.
“Though new additions to our new girls’ hostel are washing machines and a table tennis table these are only little steps,” says Maheswari, who dreams of a better canteen and hostel facilities like those of Nalsar in Hyderabad.
“We still don’t match the best law schools in Singapore and Malaysia in terms of infrastructure, though our students are on par with international students,” Jayagovind says. “No one should be complacent about (the institution’s) success.”
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