According to the guidelines established under National Legal Services Authority ( Legal Services Clinics in Universities, Law Colleges and other Institutions ) Scheme, 2013,and following the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of Karnataka State Legal Service Authority, Bengaluru, a Legal Services Clinic is constituted at Vydehi Institute of Law, Bengaluru.

The Clinic functions with the following Objectives :

• Free legal assistance and advice, in cases of requirement ( By providing experienced law professionals)
• Guiding parties to the local Legal Services Institution for litigation- related legal assistance at the Court or at the ADR Centre.
• Client Counseling and follow up assistance to special reference to marginalized communities
• Arranging workshops for various functionaries of the legal system such as lawyers, students, NGOs and Governmental Agencies
• Carrying out field Surveys
• Organizing Street Plays and Poster Exhibitions on Socio- Legal Issues.
• Adopting Village and Villages or Slum Areas for Legal Services activities.

The Clinic provides the underprivileged beneficiary with Off – campus and on-campus legal services. Free legal assistance is available to all of the groups of people listed in Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act of 1987. The recipients have the option of either contacting the Clinic via information provided or in person at the Clinic to receive the legal services.

PROCEDURE :

The following persons are entitled to avail free legal aid as per Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987:

• Member of a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe.
• Victim of trafficking in human beings or beggars as referred in Article 23 of the Indian Constitution.
• Woman or a child.
• Disabled person.
• Victim of a mass disaster, ethnic violence, caste atrocity, flood, drought, earthquake or industrial disaster;
• An industrial Workman.
• Persons in custody.
• Any person whose annual income is less than rupees one lakh, if the case is before a court other than the Supreme Court, and less than rupees five lakhs, if the case is before the Supreme Court.

A beneficiary can reach out to the Clinic for availing of a Free Legal Service:

• By submitting a written application in person.
• By sending an email to vydehi.law@vimsmail.com
• Over a phone call 080-61111111

Further Formalities:

• The Clinic will contact the applicant within seven working days of receiving the application.
• With the help of the Panel Advocate or the Legal Services Institution, the Clinic will offer the applicant the required legal aid via their preferred method.

COMPOSITION OF THE CLINIC:

Chairperson – Prof. (Dr.) Manjunath CG, Principal, VIL
Faculty Coordinator – Prof. Ayesha Rao
Member – Dr. Sahana Gopal
Member – Prof. Umashankar
Ex- Officio Honorary Member – Member Secretary of District Legal Services Authority

TERM OF OFFICE

The Committee shall be reconstituted every 3 years.