Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Programme for Early-Career Lawyers in Assam at NLU Assam, Guwahati (6 Months, 20 Seats)

National Law University and Judicial Academy (NLUJA), Assam invites applications from eligible early-career lawyers in Assam for the forthcoming cohort of its Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Programme, a six-month, field-embedded programme offered in collaboration with the Azim Premji Foundation. The call was notified on 22 September 2026.

The programme is designed to strengthen the professional capacity of early-career lawyers and to widen access to quality, rights-based legal services across Assam. It will primarily focus on lawyers from geographically remote districts of the state, with particular attention to tribal and hill areas, where young lawyers often have limited access to structured mentoring and continuing legal education.

The curriculum covers criminal justice, gender laws, education and health rights, land and property law, procedural law, legal drafting, professional ethics and the use of legal technology. Participants will also engage with customary practices, Sixth Schedule governance, land and resource disputes and access to justice in their own regions.

The programme runs for six months in a blended format: field placement, periodic in-person intensive blocks at NLUJA, Assam, and weekly online sessions. Classroom learning is combined with field assignments, exposure visits to courts, jails, legal aid institutions and government offices, and collaborative work with NGOs and civil society organisations.

Applicants must meet all of the following:

• Fresh law graduates, or freshers enrolled as advocates with a State Bar Council, with 0 to 2 years of experience.
• Fresh law graduates or lawyers practising in Assam.
• Able to commit to the full six-month tenure, including the in-person intensive blocks at NLUJA, Assam.

Preference will be given to young and early-career lawyers who have recently completed their legal education.

The cohort will have 20 law graduates selected from across the state. At least 40% of trainees will be women, and at least 30% will be drawn from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other marginalised backgrounds. Selection also looks at geographical balance across districts. Applications from women, persons with disabilities and candidates from marginalised communities are especially encouraged.

• Intensive, structured mentorship from a senior mentor (a High Court or Senior Advocate).
• Exposure to complex casework and a cross-jurisdictional network of practitioners across the state.
• A certificate from NLUJA, Assam, with an end-line impact brief, and an optional letter of recommendation for those completing with distinction.
• Advanced workshops and access to NLUJA's academic resources and legal databases during the in-person blocks.
• Accommodation for the in-person blocks, to be paid as per project guidelines.

The official notice mentions no programme or application fee.

• Application by email with the required dossier (see How to apply).
• Shortlisting on the basis of prior commitment to legal aid, rights-based advocacy or community engagement.
• A two-stage interview, one online and one in person, before a panel of NLUJA, Assam. Dates for both rounds will be notified to shortlisted candidates.

• A statement of purpose of 500 to 800 words on why you seek the training and what you hope to achieve.
• A self-authored writing sample (a pleading, legal opinion, article or note), with all client-identifying details anonymised.
• Curriculum vitae, Bar enrolment certificate (if available), law degree, a government photo ID and, where applicable, category or disability certificates.

Applications are accepted only by email. Send all the required documents to registrar@nluassam.ac.in on or before 3 October 2026.

All information and documents submitted must be true and correct; misrepresentation will lead to disqualification. Client confidentiality must be maintained in all writing samples and case histories.

Applications opened on 23 September 2026 and close on 3 October 2026. Orientation and commencement are tentatively scheduled for November 2026. The university notes that dates are indicative and will be confirmed later.