India’s first advocate academy to come up in Taloja

Navi Mumbai: In a year from now, Taloja, Navi Mumbai will be home to country’s first advocate academy and research centre where young lawyers, advocates and law students will get legal training and receive guidance by senior members of the fraternity. The academy will also conduct research on legal issues and help the government frame laws.
On Saturday, Supreme Court (SC) Justice Bhushan Gavai performed the groundbreaking ceremony of the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa (BCMG) project at Taloja MIDC. Present were deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, SC Justice Prasanna Varale, ministers Uday Samant, and Deepak Kesarkar, HC judges, chancellor of DY Patil University Vijay Patil and former MP Ramseth Thakur, among others.
“A lawyer is a social engineer and our constitution is an instrument to achieve social and economic relationships. The academy will help in training these social engineers. It will be a role model throughout the country,” said Justice Gavai in his keynote address at DY Patil University in Nerul.
Stating that the youth will benefit from guest lectures by stalwarts at the academy, and should guard against WhatsApp university, Justice Prasanna Varale said, “Constitution is supreme for justice which at times is delayed due to the process to be followed. We should all have complete confidence in the justice system and not take up the illegal path.”
Speaking on the occasion, Fadnavis, who is a law graduate himself, said, “In our process of legislation, if there is more contribution and inputs from the academy, it will help the government take decisions and frame laws that will be legally strong. We need to adapt to new technology for the upgradation of our skills which the academy will help in.”
The deputy CM also announced a ₹10 crore government grant for the project. “We will expedite the Advocate Act which has been delayed. The issue of stipends for young lawyers will be resolved in consultation with the chief minister. The cabinet has approved a resolution for setting up a circuit bench of Bombay high court in the Kolhapur court. HC has to make a decision now.”
Speaking on the objective of the academy, advocate Sangram Desai, chairman of BCMG, said, “This institute will not only be a centre of training but also raise awareness on law for the general public.”
The academy will be housed in a 2.5 lakh sqft building on an 8,000sqm plot with administrative and academic buildings and a research centre. There will be two 500 and 200 seating capacity auditoriums, six well-equipped classrooms and residential accommodation for 600 advocates.”