Last week myLaw.net—the Indian online legal learning platform—tied up with iLaw Global of the US to provide American Bar Association certified courses to Indian students. Soon, myLaw.net and iLaw Global will introduce a number of legal courses focused on international and American law, starting with courses on international intellectual property law and international taxation. “These courses will be conducted by professors from some of the leading US law schools,” says Antony Alex, CEO, myLaw.net. In an interaction with Vikram Chaudhary of The Financial Express, Alex adds that this tie-up is in line with myLaw.net’s vision to democratise access to legal education. Excerpts:
What was the need for setting up an online education platform in the legal space?
Knowledge of the law had been monopolised by lawyers and kept out of the purview of the citizens by unnecessarily jargonising law to make it exclusive. We realised that even non-lawyers need to have a working understanding of various laws—from the ones that impact businesses to citizen’s rights. Our mission is to make knowledge of law accessible to everyone.
How unique are the courses available on myLaw.net?
Our courses deal with areas of laws that are not taught in law schools. We have specialised courses on sports law, competition law, international arbitration, infrastructure law and advanced courses on securities law, patents law, mergers & acquisitions law. For such topics, our courses are probably the only reliable and comprehensive guide available in the market to both lawyers and non-lawyers. Since the courses take an industry-oriented approach to the different areas of law, even lawyers and law students find these very helpful in understanding the practical application of the very things they studied in a law school.
What is the credibility of the courses on myLaw.net? What is the certification and does it stand any importance in the legal space in India or abroad?
Our courses have a rigorous assessment and certification process. Students have to undergo an application-based term-end exam. Certificates are awarded based on a student’s performance and not the academic or professional backgrounds. In fact, our certificates are becoming an industry benchmark for practical skills and knowledge in the field of law and are being used by top law firms and corporates in the country to train their fresh recruits. The myLaw.net certificate is equally helpful for both law as well as non-law students in career enhancement and establishing credentials with prospective employers. We have received feedback from students that our exams are tougher and more rigorous than the bar exams conducted by the Bar Council of India.
So you believe myLaw.net is better than other online education portals providing education in the legal space…
Our strength lies in high-quality content—these aren’t a mere reproduction from popular academic texts. We have brought in leading practitioners, with experience of having worked in top global and Indian law firms, to create courses that bridge the skills gap. We have put in a lot of research and study behind understanding and implementing adult-learning (andragogy) and self-learning methodologies to augment learning and learner experience. Further, we ensure that our courses are updated and refreshed at least twice a year.
What is the future of online education and Massive Open Online Courses in India?
Technology will not only replicate classroom experience but can also break traditional barriers to learning and make learning personal, customisable and measurable. MOOCs and online education have the power to change the way we have traditionally approached education—from a teacher-led model to a learner-led model. MOOCs and online education not only have the potential to make high quality education accessible to the masses but, more importantly, online learning will change the mindset of students and graduates joining the industry. By putting the control on how, what and when of learning in a student’s hand, we will be creating a culture of self-sufficiency and resourcefulness. One of the biggest lacunae in today’s education system is the lack of cross-pollination and multifunctional knowledge. myLaw.net, with its vision of making inclusive practical learning of law and by making knowledge on a wide spectrum of Indian laws accessible to everyone, aims to enable and empower the next generation of lawyers, managers and entrepreneurs.