Flagship Initiative: The “Justice Innovation 101” Certificate Course
Aim:
A cornerstone of the club’s forward-thinking approach is its “Introduction to Justice Innovation Certificate course”. This immersive program is a key indicator of the club’s progressive philosophy, which transcends traditional legal aid to embrace justice-making and user-centred problem-solving.
About the facilitators
1) Rohit Sharma is an alumnus of the National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata and is the founder of Awaaz Leadership Labs (ALL). He began his career at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, worked with the ODR platform SAMA, and has been associated with several human rights organisations including Jansahas, Project Second Chance, and Observer Research Foundation. He was nominated as a Reuters Changemaker at the Trust Conference, London (2023). Alongside ALL, he runs Law Firm Ready, an initiative aimed at bridging gaps in Indian legal education. He has been a Research Assistant at the Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute, Harvard University for the past three years. He has also served as Editor of the Journal of Indian Law and Society (JILS) and Team Leader at IDIA, and has mentored over 5,000 law students across diverse areas including legal education, ODR, and career guidance.
2) Gatha is an alumna of the National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata and currently serves as the Chief Programme Officer at Awaaz Leadership Labs. She worked with the Centre for Social Justice for five years, focusing on strengthening legal aid systems for marginalised communities. She led legal empowerment and capacity-building initiatives for paralegals, lawyers, and CSOs, and headed the Social Justice Lawyering Programme for young lawyers in Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, and Jharkhand, handling casework and designing policy interventions rooted in grassroots realities.
Day 1
The participants engaged in an Expectation Chart activity, where they expressed their hopes for the program, and a few ground rules were set to foster a more open and collaborative environment. The day also featured creative introductions through an ice-breaker activity, followed by rich discussions on why students chose law school and what justice, innovation, and pro bono mean in a broader social context. Interactive learning continued through activities such as the River of Life and Levels of Listening, along with thematic discussions on important societal issues, including Online Dispute Resolution, complex legal language, women’s empowerment, marginalized communities, and government data transparency. The session concluded with engaging games and a case study-based explanation of the Milkshake Marketing Theory from Harvard University.
Day 2
The second day focused on creativity and value-based collaboration. Participants began with a clay modelling activity, where they crafted symbols representing their individual values such as flowers, hearts, suns, and various icons of confidence and strength. This was followed by the task of designing a group mascot that integrated the shared values of all members, promoting teamwork and collective expression. Participants also brought real-life social issues observed in their surroundings and analyzed them by exploring their causes, locations, impact, and affected stakeholders. Groups then selected one major issue and mapped their initial insights on chart papers, laying the foundation for structured problem-solving in the later sessions.
Day 3
On the third day, the participants visited the Law Foundation, a non-profit organization in Bihar working for custodial justice and socio-legal aid to marginalized populations. They learned about the Foundation’s ongoing initiatives, its focus on rehabilitation, reformation, and reintegration, and the challenges encountered in ensuring fundamental rights and dignity for underprivileged groups. The interaction with the organization’s team provided valuable real-world knowledge about legal advocacy and the human side of justice. After returning from the visit, the teams continued developing their project work using structured problem-solving approaches. They mapped the root causes and consequences of their chosen issues and presented their collective thoughts creatively on chart paper. Reflecting on the day, participants expressed how the visit strengthened their understanding of social responsibility and deepened their empathy as emerging legal professionals.
Day 4
The final day of the program was action-oriented and energetic. The session started with games and interactive activities to ease participants into the workflow, after which each group finalized their research findings, strategies, and practical solutions. These projects were then presented before the workshop facilitators and members of the Law Foundation, who appreciated the students’ creativity and also provided valuable feedback for improvement. As a significant outcome, every team formulated a three-month action plan to ensure that their ideas translate into real-world initiatives beyond the workshop setting. The day highlighted the balance between enjoyment and meaningful learning, as participants celebrated their efforts while also acknowledging the responsibility attached to their ideas.
Outcome Achieved:
Overall, the Justice Innovation 101 Program successfully enhanced participants’ knowledge, skills, and perspectives by combining experiential learning with social engagement. The field exposure, structured problem-solving, and continuous peer collaboration helped students connect legal studies with the lived realities of communities. The workshop instilled a stronger sense of empathy, innovation, and pro bono commitment among students, motivating them to take forward their ideas as drivers of positive change. It marked a fitting conclusion to four days of creativity, teamwork, and progressive thinking, an experience that will continue to inspire participants to work towards accessible and inclusive justice in society.
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