Shimla, 16.03.2026
The Centre for Personal Laws (CPLS) in collaboration with the Matrimonial Dispute Resolution Cell, the Himachal Pradesh National Law University (HPNLU), Shimla, under the leadership of Prof. (Dr.) Priti Saxena, Vice-Chancellor, HPNLU, Shimla, has successfully organized the Inaugural session of the 1st National Client Counselling Competition, organized under the aegis of Conducted in a virtual format, the competition has attracted participation from law students across the country and reflects the University’s continued commitment to promoting clinical legal education and strengthening practical advocacy and counselling skills among aspiring legal professionals.
The event was inaugurated with a distinguished keynote lecture delivered by Prof. (Dr.) Poonam Pradhan Saxena, Former Vice Chancellor, NLU Jodhpur and an eminent scholar in the field of Family Law. In her address, she presented an insightful session on the complexities involved in counselling clients in matrimonial and domestic disputes. Her lecture provided participants with valuable perspectives on addressing the legal, ethical, and emotional dimensions of family disputes, particularly within the context of an increasingly digital legal environment. The event has adapted the traditional client counselling format into a structured virtual platform, ensuring a professional and seamless experience for all participating teams.
The competition aims to enhance students’ practical understanding of client interaction, ethical counselling practices, and dispute resolution techniques in the domain of family and personal laws. The inaugural edition marks a significant initiative by HPNLU Shimla to strengthen experiential legal education and foster practical lawyering skills among law students across India.
The competition was organized by Prof. (Dr.) Girjesh Shukla, Director, Centre for Clinical Legal Education, and Prof. (Dr.) Alok Kumar, Registrar, HPNLU, Shimla and Director, Centre for Personal Laws (CPLS) & Chairperson of the Matrimonial Dispute Resolution Cell.
