NSLSA, IILPD connects advocacy skills training to lawyers in Kohima

Justice N. Kotiswar Singh addressing the inaugural function of two day advocacy skills training for lawyers in Kohima on March 21. (Morung Photo)

Justice N. Kotiswar Singh addressing the inaugural function of two day advocacy skills training for lawyers in Kohima on March 21. (Morung Photo)

Our Correspondent
Kohima | March 21

A two day long advocacy skills training programme for lawyers got underway here today under the aegis of Nagaland State Legal Services Authority (NSLSA) in collaboration with Indian Institute of Legal & Professional Development (IILPD).

Addressing the inaugural function at Kohima bench of Gauhati High Court, Justice N. Kotiswar Singh, Judge, Gauhati High Court & executive chairman NSLSA said that the role of lawyers is so important in dispensation of justice.

Stating that there is no systematic, continuous or institutionalized provision for training of lawyers, he described this training programme as “so important.”  

Thanking all the resources persons, he was hopeful that this training programme will bring positive, constructive and intensive exercise.

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva, Judge, Delhi High Court & Member Advisory Council, IILPD stressed the need to observe and look at other lawyers and pick up certain tips.

He said certain questions may be very good for a particular situation and some may not be.

“A good lawyer knows what kind of question to put, when to put and when not to put question” he said.

Sachdeva informed that this skills training will also touch on how to put question, how to frame question, how to argue the cases, etc.

Stating that there are some people who talks for hours together and they make no sense, he said “This two day programme is going to change your personality completely also.”

Highlighting the overview of IILPD and training programme, Priya Hingorani, advocate & director IILPD hoped that this training would better equip the lawyers to assist the court.

IILPD has been holding weekend advocacy skills training programme for the past about eight years in Delhi, Hyderabad, Ranchi, Chandigarh, Vishakapatnam and other parts of the country.

The members of the legal fraternity, especially young lawyers, have benefitted immensely from these programmes.

The Institute has been formed to institutionalize the Indo-British project on advocacy skills training started in the year 2002, the first ever continuing professional development programme in India for practicing lawyers.

The Indo- British Project was put together by Priya Hingorani, advocate and Oscar Del Fabroo, Barrister, facilitated by the British Council and funded for a period of two years by the Foreign and Commonwealth office through the British High Commission.

The reading materials were specifically prepared for the programme by advocate Dr. Aman Hingorani with an inbuilt session on ethics.

The methodology include “learning by doing” practical sessions by each participants, followed by immediate feedback given by the faculty in terms of a particular methodology now used in most jurisdictions around the world.

Earlier, the inaugural function was chaired by NSLSA member secretary Mezivolu T. Therieh.

The resources persons of the two day long advocacy skills training includes; Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva, Jaideep Gupta, Rajeev Kumar Virmani, Pradeep Dewan, Sandeep Narain, Vinay Sabharwal, Jamshed Bey, Reema Bhandari, Manjula Gupta, Priya Hingorani and Sarvesh Chowdhry.

Day one session touched on case analysis, discussion and demonstration on how to handle a witness, how to make an oral argument etc. 

The programme will go on till March 22.