Last month Herbert Smith Freehills launched its biennial Community Engagement Awards in support of law students who create a positive impact in their communities.
As the submissions deadline of 15 July draws near, the firm asked previous winner Law School 101 to share its insights and experiences as a winner and the importance of taking part as well as the benefits to the community.
Law School 101 won the Herbert Smith Freehills Community Engagement Awards in 2016 for its initiative to bring current law students from throughout India to engage with aspiring young individuals through supporting them with education and legal literacy.
WHY IS YOUR INITIATIVE SO IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT BENEFIT DOES IT BRING?
We have a very simple aim - to promote legal education for young people in India. The current access to quality support and education is perhaps one of the biggest roadblocks in a large developing country like India as well as high costs. Our initiative means we can connect to the most remote parts of the country, offering a completely free online tool with quality legal content.
SINCE WINNING THE GRANT MONEY THROUGH THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AWARDS, HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE YOU HELPED?
Taking part in the Awards was extremely beneficial to the project. We have been able to develop our online presence over the past few years and we have amplified our reach tremendously. In total, have been able to reach 25,000 more young people since winning the award, and this is steadily growing.
WHY WOULD YOU RECOMMEND TAKING PART IN THE AWARDS TO OTHERS?
Other than the credit that comes with such a prestigious award, it was a great opportunity to connect with the firm's partners and lawyers. Their insights and advice and the amount of knowledge we took on thereafter has been second to none. It's a great community to be a part of.
WHAT DOES THE FUTURE OF YOUR PROJECT LOOK LIKE AND WHAT DO YOU CONTINUE TO DO FOR THE COMMUNITY?
This year we were able to offer our 25,000+ students a free product that otherwise would have cost a typical student seeking admission to a law school around RS. 20,000 (£227). The response we received was overwhelming! The next steps will be to launch a holistic product to meet all the needs of any student looking to study law, for free.
More information about Law School 101 can be found here: http://lawschool101.org/
To find out more about the Community Engagement Awards and submit an entry, please visit the website here: https://www.herbertsmithfreehills.com/ceaindia