Secretary (Judicial), Department of Law and Justice, Government of Nagaland, Nino Iralu, NJS today addressed the inaugural programme of the One-day State Level Training programme for Retainer Lawyers and Panel Lawyers today at SIRD Conference Hall, Kohima.
Calling out to maintain the highest ethical standards, she reminded the legal services lawyers to remain independent from money, power and pressure and to be honest with one’s integrity so that the services being rendered are unquestionable and to the satisfaction of the receiver.
Iralu also asked the legal services lawyers to pay more attention in explaining law and legal advices to anyone who comes to them noting that lawyers normally do not open up when money is not involved for which public or common people become reluctant to approach or seek help of lawyers.
“When we open up, we are also uplifting ourselves,” she added.
The speaker later referred the legal services lawyers as the harbingers of authority and asked them to remain more focused as unselfish leaders, proactive in accepting responsibility to provide effective legal services to the common man with special focus on marginalized sections like child victims, child offences and missing children in our sectors.
Iralu stressed it was crucial for Panel and Retainer Lawyers to spend more time with Under Trial Prisoners (UTPs) whom they are representing in court. Lack of one-on-one interaction with clients gives rise to unversed presentations in facts of the case or the interpretation of law in relation to the case can be possibly overlooked, she observed.
Apart from not only presenting facts of cases better, it will further open possibilities for appealing the matter again to the higher court which can reach to the levels of the High Court or the Supreme Court, Iralu said.
She encouraged those in attendance to take up appeal matters as legal service institutions are also present in the higher level calling for taking the privilege.
“Appealing cases also gives us opportunity to learn more,” she said.
The secretary also asked senior panel lawyers who are more experienced in the DLSA to mentor juniors, upcoming lawyers and Para Legal Volunteers in professional or correct legal matters without focusing on the money aspect categorically pointing out that most of the PLVs come from different backgrounds other than legal.
She said it was also important to get the PLVs connected to various stakeholders and authorities in the districts.
In this regard, it should be done with the knowledge of the district chairman and secretary for result-oriented activity and in the right perspective, added Iralu.
Secretary (Judicial), Department of Law and Justice, Government of Nagaland, Nino Iralu.
On the subject of creating legal awareness, the speaker opined that DLSAs need to focus on acts wherein there are chances of cases or complaints coming up.
She cited the Consumer Protection Act as an example where even though the presence of awareness on the act is present, people do not file complaints because the public do not experience end results.
“In such cases, one or two cases can be taken as examples by inculcating some success stories,” she said, adding that this would encourage people to come up and take help of Legal Services lawyers.
NSLSA Member Secretary Victo Sema, NJS while delivering the keynote address reminded the paramount role that lawyers play in the legal services in disseminating the mission of the legal services.
Sema said the mission is to empower the marginalized and economically weaker section through legal awareness and legal assistance.
He, however, said that without upgradation and enhancement of one’s knowledge and skills of the lawyers, the grassroot will not be empowered.
The Member Secretary asked the lawyers to be aware and conscious of their duties in fulfilling the constitutional occupation. “No civilization, country or society will grow and prosper when the majority of the population live in poverty and without any access to justice,” he added.
He said this was the reason why the preamble of the constitution made solemn promise to secure justice to all its citizens for social and economic empowerment. To reinforce the aspiration, Article 39 A was inserted in the Constitution which gave birth to the legislation of Legal Services Authority Act.
The programme was chaired by Kezhosano Kikhi, Project Coordinator, NSLSA.
In the training session, Resource person Mezivolu Therieh, NJS, District and Session Judge & Chairperson, Phek DLSA spoke on Constitutional perspective of legal services and the legal services authority act.
Seyielenuo Mezhü, NJS, Chief Judicial Magistrate & Secretary, Dimapur DLSA spoke on Lawyering Skills: Criminal: Drafting, witness examination and arguments.
R Iralu, Senior Advocate, Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench dwelt on Cursory glance on Civil procedure code and its practices.
Wonchibeni V Patton, NJS, Chief Judicial Magistrate & Secretary, Mokokchung DLSA spoke on the overview of cybercrimes and cyber law: types of cybercrime, legal provisions and its prevention.
Temjenmoa, Advocate, Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench presented on skills development on communication with clients and counselling.
The training was attended by 46 retainer lawyers and panel lawyers representing all District Legal Services Authorities across the state.
