The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLU) has an executive committee which has come together to request the Bar Council of India to allow NLU teachers to practice law in court. According to the press release that was released Thursday, 21st February 2019, the committee said that denying law teachers from practicing in courts will harm the legal system. Moreover, it should be taken into consideration that law teachers are also an integral part of the legal society of India just like judges and lawyers. They also possess the ability to add to the legal system of India.
As per the current rules, a full-time salaried employee of any institution, company, business, etc. cannot practice law in courts. The consortium of NLUs states that the students need to learn the difference and bridge the gap between law in action and law in books. This can be made possible only if the embargo on law teachers practicing law in courts is removed.
It has also been decided that if the grant is rejected then it will seek UGC's intervention to allow the teachers an NPA (Non-Practicing Allowance) that is at par with medical doctors. On the other hand, the committee has suggested various limitations and regulations that the teachers will have to follow in case the permission is acknowledged. The teachers will work on cases without asking for a fee and if in case, there is a payment of sorts, then the teacher concerned will have to split it in a 60:40 ratio with the institution he/she is employed in.
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Another regulation that the committee has agreed upon is that the teachers will have limited time in the courts per week and per month, i.e. they will be allowed to visit the court three times a month and 15 hours a week only. Along with these rules, the teachers would also need to teach clinical legal education if he/she is allowed to practice in courts.
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