Union Law Minister, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad to Inaugurate the Global Virtual Conference on “Reimagining & Transforming the Future of Law Schools

Jindal Global Law School (JGLS), O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) presents a truly international, first-of-its-kind global academic Conference from 25-27 November on the theme ‘Reimagining & Transforming the Future of Law Schools and Legal Education: Confluence of Ideas During & Beyond COVID-19’. 

The Conference will be inaugurated by Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, Hon’ble Minister for Communications, Electronics & Information Technology and Law & Justice. The Inauguration ceremony will also have a Keynote Address delivered by Mr Cyril Shroff, Managing Partner of one of India’s leading law firms – Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas.

Law Schools around the world have had to react swiftly to minimize the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the last few months. Educational leaders, faced with multiple challenges, had to simultaneously cater to the needs of all their stakeholders and show immense resilience during this unprecedented crisis. Therefore, this conference aims to bring together nearly 170 thought leaders from 6 continents and 35+ countries over 30+ Thematic Sessions and 2 Keynote Addresses to reimagine the future of legal education.

Hon’ble Dr Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, Judge, Supreme Court of India to Deliver the Constitution Day Lecture on 26th November

Hon’ble Ms Justice Gita Mittal, Chief Justice, High Court of Jammu & Kashmir to Deliver the Keynote Address in the Constitution Day Forum on 26th November

 Hon’ble Mr Justice U.U. Lalit, Judge, Supreme Court of India to Deliver the Presidential Address and Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India and Member of Parliament to Deliver the Valedictory Address on 27th November

“In the context of the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, it is very important for leaders of legal education from all over the world to come together to re-define the future of legal education which will impact the future of students, academics, and institutions. Jindal Global Law School wanted to live up to its commitment to generate important dialogues with a global perspective. This conference is an outcome of that very vision. We are deeply humbled to have an extraordinary forum of nearly 170 thought leaders from over 35 countries including Law School Deans, Scholars, Supreme Court Judges, Lawyers, Law Firm Partners and representation from all spheres of the legal profession and legal education. We look forward to this conference by bringing a comprehensive and inclusive perspective on the future of legal education, creating the desired response of the legal community to the ongoing pandemic.” said Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, Founding Vice Chancellor, O.P. Jindal Global University & Founding Dean, Jindal Global Law School.

 "The Conference is one of its kind with thematic sessions spread across the entire gamut of issues that are confronting the world of legal education and will shape the future of law schools, especially during and post-COVID-19. The sheer selection of the institutions from around the world combined with the breadth and depth of the intellectually engaging thematic sessions represented by the most outstanding thinkers in legal academia, legal profession, corporate legal practice, and the judiciary from around the world makes it a truly engaging Conference. The Jindal Global Law School and O.P. Jindal Global University have once again demonstrated the need for global thought leadership role that is necessary to bring together people from every part of the world to participate in conversations that will shape the future of legal education.” said Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, Founding Vice Chancellor, O.P. Jindal Global University &Founding Dean, Jindal Global Law School.

On the very special occasion of India’s Constitution Day, Hon’ble Dr Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, Judge, Supreme Court of India will deliver a special Constitution Day Lecture. This lecture will be Presided over by Professor (Dr.) Upendra Baxi, Research Professor of Law and a Distinguished Scholar, Jindal Global Law School, who will deliver the Presidential Address. Also, the Constitution Day Forum will pay a special tribute to the women leaders in the world of law, as a part of which there will be a Keynote Address by Hon’ble Ms Justice Gita Mittal, Chief Justice, High Court of Jammu and Kashmir, a Special Address by Ms Pallavi Shroff, Managing Partner, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas, and a Presidential Address by Ms Geeta Ramaseshan, Advocate, Madras High Court.

The Conference will be concluded in the esteemed presence of distinguished members of the Indian Judiciary and the Legal Profession. The Valedictory Address will be delivered by Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India and Member of Parliament, and the Presidential Address will be delivered by Hon’ble Mr Justice U.U. Lalit, Judge, Supreme Court of India.

 “We are truly excited and grateful to have leaders from all spheres of the world of law with us at this Conference to create a truly global response to the ongoing pandemic. From the academic community over 100 Vice Chancellors, Current and Former Deans, Principals, Heads, Directors and other Senior Leaders of Law Schools will be speaking at this event. This Conference will also be honoured by the presence of 8 Judges from India, Singapore, Tanzania and the United States of America which includes 6 Former and Current Supreme Court Judges of India and USA. All the leaders will reflect and deliberate across 3 days of the Conference to reimagine the future of legal education.”,  said Professor (Dr.) S.G. Sreejith, Executive Dean, Jindal Global Law School.

 “A global and diverse set of perspectives to ensure a holistic response to the ongoing pandemic is very important. This conference aims to celebrate diversity in all forms. Leaders coming in from 6 continents will allow for a truly global dialogue. Also, two special women-only panels have been planned during this Conference to hear about the journeys of women leaders from the world of law across the Judiciary, Law Firms and Legal Academia. The Conference will also see the participation of nearly 60 women leaders from across the Legal Education, Law Firms and the Judiciary speaking in multiple panel discussions.” said Professor Dabiru Sridhar Patnaik, Registrar, JGU.

The Conference will bring together diverse views from the senior leadership of Leading Law Schools across the world and India including Stanford Law School, Cornell Law School, Melbourne Law School, National University of Singapore (NUS) Faculty of Law, UNSW Law School, Georgetown Law School, Faculty of Law - The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Faculty of Law - The University of Hong Kong, School of Law - University of Queensland, Durham Law School, Auckland Law School, School of Law - City University of Hong Kong, School of Law -Trinity College Dublin, Faculty of Law - Albert-Ludwigs-Universitaet Freiburg (ALUF), School of Law - University College Dublin, Faculty of Law - Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Birmingham Law School, Faculty of Law - Universidad Externado de Colombia, National Law School of India University (NLSIU) - Bengaluru, Gujarat National Law University, National Law University – Jodhpur, National Law University – Raipur, National Law Institute University – Bhopal, National Law University – Delhi, Nirma University Law School, NALSAR University of Law, School of Law - BML Munjal University, and the University of Delhi.

As we are still in the midst of the pandemic, the importance of having a global perspective has become all the more critical. This Conference will have speakers coming together from 35+ countries, to make this Conference a truly global experience. The Conference will have speakers from Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, Qatar, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Tanzania, The Czech Republic, The Netherlands, The United Arab Emirates, The United Kingdom, The United States of America, Turkey, Uganda, Uruguay and India.

This Conference is expected to be a 3-day intellectual deliberation with global leaders of legal education to reimagine the idea of a law school during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.