Prestige Institute Of Management & Research, Gwalior, Department Of Law: Shaping Future-Ready Legal Professionals With Experiential & Global Learning

As the legal education landscape is rapidly changing colleges and universities struggle to adopt technology driven practices, cross border law and ethical promotion as a way to address complexities in the real world. The emphasis on alternative dispute resolution and experiential learning via clinics and internships underscores the need for curricula that blend theory with practical skills.

At the same time, the Indian legal education market is expanding at a CAGR of 10 percent up to 2030 due to globalization, regulatory changes, and the need to hire cyber law, intellectual property and international arbitration experts.

Department of Law, Prestige Institute of Management and Research, Gwalior provides solutions to these challenges through a robust focus on experiential learning and interdisciplinary integration, ensuring graduates are equipped for diverse legal careers.

The institute closes the gap between theory and practice in the classroom through mandatory internships, on-the-job visits to courts, sessions led by experts, and hands-on mock trainings.

The Institute began as a leading Business School in 1997 as part of the Prestige Education Society, and in 2017 transitioned to law, a major turning point in becoming a full-fledged professional law school. The 27-year-old institute is currently NAAC ‘A’ accredited in its second cycle and has many management and law-related rankings.

With three UG batches and two LLM-associated post-graduates, the institute has cultivated a legacy of success with alumni qualifying for NET, securing government jobs practicing as advocates, and joining academia or firms.

PIMR, Gwalior will further enhance the quality and the relevance of legal education in India by prioritizing practical over rote learning

Career Focused Law Programs

PIMR's legal aid clinics, in collaboration with District and State Legal Services Authorities, organize monthly camps and adopt villages to promote litigation-free communities, instilling ethical advocacy and community service.

“Daily discussions on current events such as Supreme Court and constitutional provisions are crucial for keeping our students up to date about the evolving legal landscape”, says Dr Rakhi Singh Chouhan, Principal (Department of Law), Prestige Institute of Management & Research, Gwalior.

PIMR law courses are integrated and career-focused design which assists students in developing resilient professional careers. The programs, which include BA LLB, BBA LLB, BCom LLB and two-year LLM with specialization in Criminal, Constitutional and Business Law starting in the fifth semester, focuses on interdisciplinary knowledge.

Students can explore subjects such as Political Science, Economics, Sociology and even Forensic Science through expert lectures and visits to institutions like the Forensic Science Laboratory in Delhi, etc.

“We also provide field visits to Supreme and High Courts, which increase the exposure of learners to national legal forums, which provide a stronger base of basic principles, as well as handling complex issues in various circumstances”, says Dr Rakhi Singh Chouhan.

The curriculum has significant practical elements which provide exposure to the real-world practice of law. Following the guidelines of the Bar Council of India (BCI), PIMR requires 20 weeks of internship with 21-day summer placements to be assessed by reports and Viva’s. Students also engage in arbitration contests, mediation and trail advocacy across the country, including role play of landmark cases.

Internships in courtrooms, research assistantships with judges and policy research opportunities are made possible through the institute partnerships with more than 60 advocates, High Court judges and organizations such as DLSA (District Legal Services Authority) and SLSA (State Legal Services Authority).

Future Ready Legal Education

Technology integration prepares students for the future of law, where digital tools are paramount. PIMR's high-tech classrooms feature smart boards for live-streaming court proceedings from the Supreme Court or High Courts, allowing real-time analysis of arguments on topics like professional ethics or injunctions.

Faculty introduces the AI applications like ChatGPT to write petitions and talks about the advantages, disadvantages, and ethical aspects. Cyber law Training consists of specialized lessons about new technologies, so the students will be aware of research databases and applications. This forward-thinking approach extends to pedagogical innovations like case study methods, role-playing, and visual learning through auditorium enactments.

To refine curriculum and more opportunities the institute partners with lawyers, judicial associates, business innovators and alumni. Regular expert lectures from High Court and Supreme Court judges, along with internships under senior advocates provide practical insights.

Looking ahead, Department of Law, Prestige Institute of Management & Research, Gwalior, aims for new initiatives such as mediation cell which is led by trained mediator from MCPC, Supreme Court of India, compulsory arbitration participation, and MoU’s with universities in France, UK and California for faculty student exchanges and international arbitration training.

The institute will focus on cultivating a rounded professional who can work in the judiciary and advocate, or in academia or in the corporation sector, the institute will further enhance the quality and the relevance of legal education in India by prioritizing practical over rote learning that is impossible in the wide scope of law.