Government Law College, Mumbai

The Government Law College, also known as GLC and located in Mumbai, India, is one of the oldest and most distinguished law schools in India. The college celebrated its sesquicentennial in 2006.

History

Inception

Before 1855 there was no formal legal education for legal officers and lawyers in the country when Sir Erskine Perry, the then Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Bombay used to lecture on law after court hours. These classes were on a very informal basis and were attended only by a select group of people. A conscious effort was made by a committee to collect funds in order to institute a chair in Jurisprudence at the Elphinstone Institute. This was to be called the Perry Professorship of Jurisprudence, which came to be in 1855.

In 1855, Dr. R. T. Reid, LL.B. (Bar-at-Law and the first Judge of the Small Causes Court, Bombay) was appointed the first Perry Professor and the Government Law School (GLS), as it was then called, was established at the Elphinstone Institution. The response to the first series of lectures conducted was overwhelming. The Government of India instituted two permanent professorships. The Government Law School has been affiliated with the University of Bombay since 1860: in fact, it is older than the University of Bombay and the Bombay High Court itself. From 1855 to 1895 the numerical strength of the GLS grew from 46 to 250 students. Seating space was so scarce in those days that the benches had to be brought in form the Elphinstone School Building nearby.

New premises

In 1891, the Government Law School was shifted to the Elphinstone College at Kala Ghoda. Classes were held in the evenings, after the regular Arts & Science students dispersed for the day. It wasn't till 1895 that the Government recognised the need for a Principal. The first Principal was L. J. Robertson. It was in this year, that three additional professors were added to the staff, bringing the number of staff members to five.

Gender bias removed

Until 1924, no lady students were admitted to the rolls of the Government Law School, as women were then disqualified from being enrolled as legal practitioners in India. However, the first lady to fight for her rights was Ms. Cornalia Sorabjee, who in 1897 acquired special permission from the University Senate to sit for the examination. This gender bias was ultimately removed by a resolution moved by Dr. Harisingh Gour in the Legislative assembly on February 1, 1922.

Change of name and premises

The name "Government Law School" was changed to the "Government Law College" in the year 1925. It was only in 1938 that the college was converted into a full-time institution with classes being held from 10.30 a.m. to 1.15 p.m. It began work under the guidance of the then Principal and Full-Time Professor A. A. A. Fyzee. After this change of status, the Government of Bombay finally decided to allocate a plot in the Churchgate Reclamation scheme, west of Churchgate station, for the Government Law College Building.

Prominent alumni

*Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
*Bal Gangadhar Tilak
*M. C. Chagla, the first Indian Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court
* L.K.Advani
*Pratibha Patil, President of India
*Mahadev Govind Ranade, the great social reformer and economist, who received his LL.B. in the college's first batch, in 1866
*Motilal Setalvad, the first Attorney General of independent India
* H.M. Seervai, Advocate-General of Maharashtra, 1975-79 and author of "Constitutional Law of India"
* Nani Palkiwala

Moot Court Competitions

The Moot Court Association

The concept of Moot, or Mock, Courts is well established and universally recognized as a co-curricular activity pursued by law students. GLC, Mumbai has one of the most enthusiastic & effective administrative legal societies – the MCA. Established in 1955 by the then Hon’ble Minister of Education, Mr. Dinkar R. Desai, the heritage of the MCA spans over a half century.

For any lawyer to be truly proficient, not only must his theoretical knowledge be superlative, but he should also possess exceptional oratorical and drafting skills. Moot Court Competitions are an effective tool in the process of honing these skills. The principal aim of the MCA is to provide students of law with the opportunity to enhance their abilities and to attain substantial exposure to the practical aspects of the legal profession.

The organization of all moot courts in the college is the responsibility of the Moot Court Association.

Presently, in adherence with its objective, the MCA conducts the following list of Moot Court Competitions:

Intra-College

*The Demonstration Moot Court CompetitionStarting in 1967, The Demonstration Moot has been the inaugural event of the MCA, every academic year. Experienced students argue a case before a panel of judges in order to give new students (freshers) an idea of what a Moot Court Competition is and to encourage them to participate in subsequent events.

*The Freshers’ Moot Court CompetitionThe fledglings of the college may test their wings at this event, providing themselves with a platform to soar from.

*The Grand Moot Court CompetitionThis event brings together students at every level in the college, in the single most important competition. The purpose is to identify the ‘crème de la crème’ of mooters and, in a system of ranking, provide them the opportunity to participate in the country’s most prestigious moot court competitions.

Inter-Collegiate, City Level

*M. C. Chagla Moot Court CompetitionSupported by the M. C. Chagla Memorial Trust, this event has been in existence since 1993, in memory of the first Indian Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court. Colleges from all over the city vie to participate in the competition, wherein the bench consists of sitting High Court Judges.

*The Kanga Moot Court CompetitionThis event is held in memory of Sir Jamshedji Kanga, in collaboration with the Rotary Club.

*The GLC Marathi Moot Court CompetitionTrue to its culture, GLC hosts this event to honour the language of the state of Maharashtra – Marathi. It is the first and only of its kind. The aim – to encourage the common man in the state to appreciate and understand the law and judicial process.

Inter-Collegiate, National Level

*The Nani Palkhivala Memorial National Tax Moot Court Competition

Inter-Collegiate, International Level

*The D. M. Harish Memorial Government Law College International Moot Court Competition

The Government Law College Moot Court Association has been hosting the ' D. M. Harish Memorial Government Law College International Moot Court Competition ' since the year 2000.

Jointly organised by the Government Law College, Mumbai and the D. M. Harish Foundation, a Trust instituted in memory of one of India’s greatest lawyers, this Competition has emerged as one of the most prestigious competitions of its kind in India and has played an important role in the promotion of mooting in the country by providing a wonderful forum for law students from all over India to hone their skills.

Taking a step ahead, the event was made International in 2005, making it India’s first International Moot Court Competition.

ee also

*List of Mumbai Colleges

External links

* [http://www.glc.edu/ Official Website]
* [http://www.glc.edu/mootcourt/index1.htm The Official 'D.M. Harish Memorial - Government Law College International Moot Court Competition' website]
* [http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1054660 News Article:Legal Eagle flying high at 150]