Pro Bono Practices and Opportunities in India

Published on 15 May 2019 This is an overview of pro bono practices and opportunities in India, including key practice rules, culture, obstacles to undertaking pro bono and sources of pro bono opportunities.

India has an expansive history of legal aid, backed by several decades of legislation, jurisprudential interpretation, and numerous state-funded programs. However, its pro bono culture is still very much a work in progress. While certain pro bono legal services are organized and provided by a number of individual advocates, law firms, non-governmental organizations (“NGOs”), law schools and bar associations across the country, the demand for such services far exceeds the supply.