Bar Council of India Trust
The Bar Council of India Trust was created by the Bar Council of India in 1974 as an educational and research foundation with the object of establishing one or more model law schools, organizing legal aid to the poor, publishing law books and law reports and promoting welfare of members of the profession. Since 1980 the Bar Council of India Trust has launched a number of programmes designed to promote higher standards in legal education and in the legal profession. The finances for these activities come from the interest accrued on the original sum transferred by the Bar Council of India to the Trust in 1974. The Bar Council of India Trust is managed by a five-member Board of Trustees elected for four years by the Bar Council of India from amongst the members.
The Bar Council of India Trust publishes a quarterly Journal, called the Indian Bar Review of which more than 1000 copies are circulated among regular subscribers in the profession and outside. This Journal caters to the academic and professional interest of the legal community. It has also published books on Constitutional Law, Legal Profession, Legal Education, Taxation Law, Criminal procedure and a number of titles under the pre-law programme of the new 5-year pattern of legal education.
The Trust jointly with the Bar Council of India has established a Law University at Bangalore called the National Law School of India University. The Trust organises a series of summer workshops for advocates under its continuing education scheme which help updating of knowledge and skills and promoting specialisation in professional services. A number of volumes of reading materials on Constitutional Litigation, Criminal Advocacy, Labour Adjudication, Tort Litigation, Human Rights Advocacy etc. have been produced to support the continuing legal education effort which is now being undertaken by the State Bar Councils as well.
Under a scheme of training and fellowship, a number of junior advocates are selected every year and provided placement with seniors for professional advancement. Annual inter university moot court competition is sponsored by the Trust to improve the quality of professional education and to promote skills of advocacy.