Article 39A of the Constitution of India provides that State shall secure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice on a basis of equal opportunity, and shall in particular, provide free legal aid, by suitable legislation or schemes or in any other way, to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disability. Articles 14 and 22(1) also make it obligatory for the State to ensure equality before law and a legal system which promotes justice on a basis of equal opportunity to all. Legal aid strives to ensure that constitutional pledge is fulfilled in its letter and spirit and equal justice is made available to the poor, downtrodden and weaker sections of the society.

The Legal Aid Clinic of University Institute of Legal Studies (UILS), Panjab University was inaugurated on April 3, 2012 by Hon'ble Mr. Justice M.M. Kumar in presence of Hon'ble Mr. Justice Jasbir Singh, Judges Punjab and Haryana High Court. The clinic works to provide free legal aid to the poor and helpless people. The clinic is established under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 and works in association with the State Legal Services Authorities (SLSA), Sector 9, Chandigarh. The Hon'ble Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High court is the Patron-in-Chief of the SLSA and one of the senior judges adheres to the post of the Executive Chairman of the authority. Presently, Hon'ble Mr. Justice Ravi Shanker Jha, Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh is the Patron-in-Chief and Hon'ble Mr. Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court is the Executive Chairman.

The Legal Aid Society launched the Online Legal Aid Platform of UILS on 21st June, 2021 in the presence of Retired Hon'ble Mr. Justice Jasbir Singh, Judge, Panjab and Haryana High Court and Professor Raj Kumar, Vice Chancellor, Panjab University, as a part of its initiative to provide free legal aid in these harsh COVID times. The concept of community outreach has been of paramount importance in the committee as the Society believes that individuals equipped with pristine knowledge of the law are not to remain in ivory towers but to cater to social realities and needs.

The Legal Aid Clinic, UILS provides a wide variety of free legal services which include legal advice & consultation, mediation, conciliation and arbitration. These services don't carry any hidden costs or expenses and are entirely free of cost. If the applicant requests, all these are services are also available online through video conferencing.

The faculty coordinators for Legal Aid Clinic and Society

• Dr. Amita Verma
• Dr. Karan Jawanda
• Dr. Anupam Bahri

University Institute of Legal Studies (UILS) was established as constituent department of Panjab University, in the academic session 2004-05. During a short span of time, it has emerged as one of the premier legal Institute with a unique blend of tradition and modernity. Its mission is to equip the students with the skills to comprehend and diagnose the intricacies of various legal and other inter-disciplinary issues and devise solutions to these problems through analysis and reasoning. The stimulating and interactive academic environment of the Institute helps to hone the 'DRAIN ' .Drafting, Research, Advocacy, Interviewing and Negotiation- skills of the students.The Institute 's own Legal Aid Clinic, which provides free legal services to the economically weaker sections of the society as a part of community outreach programme of the Institute, also offers opportunities to the students to work in co-ordination with practicing lawyers. The endeavour behind this action 'process ' is to enable the students to understand that the legal professionals, besides their professional responsibilities have a significant bearing on a wide range of persona and transactions as well.

Our aim is to spread legal awareness among students and people at large. We strive to achieve this target by organising various legal literacy camps, seminars, mediations, legal counselling sessions, public speaking, poster making, street plays etc.