Established in 1966, KERALA LAW ACADEMY (KLA) is a seat of excellence in legal education, consultancy, research and in pioneering law reforms. The Academy’s prestigious institute, “the Kerala Law Academy Law College” is located in Trivandrum, the capital city of Kerala, India, on a hill of sylvan splendour with a view of the Arabian Sea on one side and the Western Ghats on the other. The liberal ambience of the research wing “Center for Advanced Legal Studies and Research” (CALSAR), is conducive to ignite nascent thoughts and ideals. This finds vivid expression in “Academy Law Review” which has won international acclaim ever since its appearance in print in 1977. The moot teams of the Academy are the flag bearers in renowned international fora. The Academy’s social commitment is imbedded in its socio-legal clinics and consultancy service. The college of law of the Academy is affiliated to the University of Kerala
Some among the unique features of KLA are the following:
- KLA is the only institution from Kerala to get selection to represent India in the prestigious Philip C Jessup International Moot Court Competition, held at Washington D C., USA. KLA has got selection to the Jessup International rounds five times- ie., in 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999 &, 2000.
- KLA got selection to represent India in the Stetson International Environment Law Moot Court Competition held at Florida, USA four times, ie., in 2002, 2003, 2005 & 2010. Only other team from Kerala which has got selection to represent India in the Stetson International Competition is NUALS, Kochi, which got selection in 2008.
- KLA is the only institution from Kerala to get selection to represent India in the prestigious Louis M Brown International Client Consulting Competition.
- KLA is the only institution in India which is conducting on a regular basis a National Client Consulting Competition for testing the client interviewing skills of the law students at the national level continuously since 2000. This national competition is into its 11th successful year.
- KLA is the only institution in Kerala to have a Court Centre neighbouring the Court Complex which works as an effective training and Liaison Centre and is unique as it serves as an extended campus and co-ordinating Centre of the Academy between the class rooms and the Court. In 2004, the Court Centre also started a ‘Centre for Clinical Legal Training’ to provide intensive/specialized clinical training to both law students and lawyers.
- The clinical law training provided at the KLA is unparalleled and the best in Kerala as reflected by its national level achievements.
- KLA is the only institution in Kerala to provide the services of two law libraries, one being an advanced research library. KLA library service provide 33 foreign law journals which is among the highest number of foreign law journals available in law colleges/universities in Kerala. (See http://keralalawacademy.in/library.html ).
- KLA provides its students the maximum interface with the top of the legal profession among the law schools/law colleges/universities in Kerala.
- Though a private institution under public trust management, no seat for the 5 year LLB course is reserved as management seat or management quota ie., all seats in the 5 year LLB course are filled on the basis of merit as laid down in the admission norms.
- The All India Moot Court Competition for the KLA trophy conducted by the KLA is the third oldest national moot court competition and with highest participation in India. It is held annually without break since 1990 and is into its 22nd successful year.
