The National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru on June 11 announced the establishment of the Centre for the Study of the Legal Profession dedicated to promoting equity, inclusion, and justice within India's legal profession.
The Centre aims to enhance understanding of the legal profession in India through empirical research, policy engagement, and interdisciplinary scholarship examining the structures, norms, and practices of the profession.
The Centre will kick off its research activities in the academic year 2026–27 with the launch of the Women's Inclusion and Leadership in Law (WILL) Initiative - a five-year programme designed to advance gender-inclusive litigation practice in India.
The initiative aims to support early-career women litigators from diverse socio-economic backgrounds in entering, sustaining, and eventually advancing to leadership positions within litigation.
The announcement on NLSIU's website notes that women have been formally allowed to practise law in India since the Legal Practitioners (Women) Act, 1923 and cites figures pointing to a wide gap between women entering the legal profession and those reaching senior positions.
NLSIU says the gap between entry and leadership is driven by "systemic, institutional, and cultural barriers" that hit hardest in the early years of a litigation career.
Dr. Ashrita Prasad Kotha, Associate Professor of Law at NLSIU, has been named Director of the Centre.
"As a first-generation practitioner turned academician, I have closely witnessed how the legal profession informs access and justice. The need for a systematic study of the legal profession deeply resonates with me. As I take on this role, I look forward to collaborating with various stakeholders including fellow lawyers, researchers and institutional partners to drive evidence-based policy reform and to create long-term impact that is meaningful and inclusive,” she said on taking on the role.
Prof. Sudhir Krishnaswamy, Vice Chancellor of NLSIU, said the Centre was the result of over a year of work by a faculty and staff team. He described it as part of the University's founding mission.
"The establishment of a dedicated research centre on the legal profession allows the University to deliver on its founding vision to transform the Indian legal profession into a professionally competent and socially inclusive community that sustains the rule of law and contributes to national development," he said.