Herbert Smith Freehills collaborates with IDIA to provide financial, practical support for IDIA scholars

Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has entered into a formal collaboration with Increasing Diversity by Increasing Access to Legal Education (IDIA) to provide financial, mentoring and pastoral support to IDIA scholars.

With this new partnership, HSF will provide financial aid as well as practical assistance to IDIA scholars, through graduate recruitment support and internship opportunities.

In a press release, Roddy Martin, Partner at HSF has expressed the firm’s commitment to building a long-term supportive collaboration with IDIA.

“Laudably, the Constitution of India legislates for equality for all in India – equality before the law and non-discrimination against any citizen on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth. However, as in many other countries, social and economic exclusion remains prevalent.

Through supporting the excellent work of IDIA, we very much hope that we can help those most in need and most deserving to join the legal profession and improve its diversity and, through that, to help serve India well and also help to foster an environment in which there can be a permanent change in attitudes towards the underprivileged as they begin to make their marks within the legal profession.

As a committed partner, Herbert Smith Freehills looks forward to building a long-term supportive collaboration with IDIA as well as promoting IDIA’s values and goals to Herbert Smith Freehills’ clients and contacts worldwide.”

Professor (Dr.) Shamnad Basheer, Founding and Managing Trustee of the IDIA is also optimistic about the novel venture. He has remarked,

“It is a matter of great honour for us that Herbert Smith Freehills, one of the leading law firms in the world has chosen to partner with us on this important mission to make the planet a more inclusive one. What better way to do this than through the medium of legal education and the consequent creation of leaders from within underprivileged communities.

Herbert Smith Freehills was one of our earliest institutional supporters and had in the past permitted our scholars to partake in their excellent legal training programmes in India. We are truly grateful that they have now proposed to ramp up this support. We are certain that the several IDIA scholars that benefit from this support will make us all proud and help create an ecosystem that is worthy of the best ideals of law and justice.”

As part of HSF’s wider commitment to India the firm continues to support various other initiatives with Indian law schools including: the HSF-NLU Delhi International Negotiation Competition (INC), the International Lecture Programme jointly organised in India by HSF and Oxford University (ILP), the annual NUJS-HSF National Moot Court Competition, and the HSF Community Engagement Awards.