Book Review: Integrated Clinical Legal Education. By Shuvro Prosun Sarker, Anirban Chakraborty & Shounak Chatterjee
| Published date | 01 July 2015 |
| Date | 01 July 2015 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/2322005815578552 |
| Subject Matter | Book Review |
Book Review
Integrated Clinical Legal Education. By Shuvro Prosun Sarker, Anirban Chakraborty & Shounak
Chatterjee, Universal Law Publishing Co., New Delhi, 2014, 214 Pp., `210, ISBN 978-93-5035-441-1
In India, clinical legal education has been a signicant part of legal education. The concept is fast
expanding across the globe also. Clinical legal education is necessary to bridge a gap between theory
and practice. Various attempts were made in India, to have a sound and efcient clinical legal education
programme. But the all ended in vain due to the lack of forethought by the authorities. The aim of this
book is to know the various types of clinical legal education, its necessity in curriculum and current
initiatives and practices in Indian clinical legal education system. Then the ultimate goal is to provide
both platform and basic structure of clinics to the readers about clinical legal education. The reviewer
has highlighted the main points and the signicant features of the book in this review.
Now it is evident that the need for clinical legal education and practical means of instruction in the
eld of law are being felt by the think tanks of legal fraternity in India. This book gives a brief analysis
about the prevailing system of legal education in India and the need to change the traditional way of
teaching law. The authors have successfully stated the reasons supported by various examples from all
over the world and at the same time they have put forth some basic solutions which have practical
importance. The Foreword written by Professor (Dr) Manoj Kumar Sinha clearly states the importance
of this book both for students and the teachers. He writes, ‘This book will be of great importance not
only for the law students but also for the teachers who are entrusted with practical training at law
schools in India to trace the history, present status, future strategy and means and the methods of
clinical practice.’1 The book has practical importance because the authors were the part of the current
system of legal education and this book is a result of their various experiences at the Law School. With
a deep study of history the authors have moved on towards the aim of analysing the changes that have
taken place during the third generation reform of legal education.
The authors have agreed upon the fact that the establishment of National Law School has changed
the situation and status of legal education in India. The students have gone to a new level of competition
in achieving the best in their career. But the authors have also stressed upon the fact that whether the
National Law Schools have really been able to achieve the real goal hidden behind their establishment
or not. In the very beginning of the book the authors have also successfully discussed the wide ranging
problems present in the legal education system in India. There is a centralized stress upon imparting
legal education in keeping the ‘justice oriented system’ in mind. The authors write, ‘Justice must become
central to law curriculum and community-based learning must give desired value orientation in the
making of Lawyers.’2 At the same time the authors emphasize the efciency and value oriented system.
1 Shuvro ProSun Sarker, anirban Chakraborty & Shounak Chatterjee, integrated CliniCal legal eduCation, at vii.
2 Supra 1, at 4.
Asian Journal of Legal Education
2(2) 170–174
© 2015 The West Bengal National
University of Juridical Sciences
SAGE Publications
sagepub.in/home.nav
DOI: 10.1177/2322005815578552
http://ale.sagepub.com
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