India’s First Advocate Training & Research Academy to Bridge Gap Between Legal Education and Courtroom Practice

BBATRC Will Transform Court Craft, Legal Research and AI-Ready Advocacy, Says Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis

Navi Mumbai, January 31 — In a landmark step towards reforming India’s legal ecosystem, Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, on Friday inaugurated the country’s first exclusive advocate-focused training institution — the Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Advocate Training and Research Centre (BBATRC) — established by the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa.

Describing the initiative as long overdue, the Chief Minister said the academy would play a decisive role in bridging the long-standing gap between formal legal education and real courtroom practice. “Just as judges undergo structured training, the question has always been — why not advocates? Today, the Bar Council has answered that question,” he remarked.

Located at Taloja in Navi Mumbai, the academy was formally inaugurated by former Chief Justice of India Bhushan R. Gavai, with Chandrashekhar, Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, presiding over the ceremony.

The event witnessed the presence of several eminent legal minds, including Revati Mohite-Dere, Additional Solicitor General Anil C. Singh, Maharashtra Advocate General Milind Sathe, and Goa Advocate General Devidas Pangam.

Highlighting the state government’s commitment to legal capacity-building, Fadnavis announced that ₹10 crore in financial assistance would be released for the academy after the upcoming budget session. He underlined the need for lawyers and prosecutors to stay abreast of changing criminal laws, evolving jurisprudence, and the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in legal drafting and research.

“Technology and AI can be powerful tools, but careless dependence — especially in petition drafting — carries risks. Training and research are essential to maintain quality and credibility in advocacy,” he cautioned, expressing confidence that BBATRC would emerge as a national hub for high-quality legal research.

The Chief Minister also acknowledged that the academy’s swift and high-quality construction, on government-allotted land, reflected an efficient governance model. In a poignant moment, he paid tribute to late former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, recalling his decisive administrative style.

The programme also featured the presentation of the prestigious ‘Vidhi Maharshi Award’ to Justice B.B. Chavan, while the posthumous award for senior civil lawyer Gyaneshwar Bavrekar was received by his son Adv. Sanjay Bavrekar.

Senior advocate Harshad Nimbalkar, President of BCMG, delivered the introductory address. Several Bar Council members and senior advocates from Maharashtra and Goa were present, underscoring the legal fraternity’s collective endorsement of the initiative.

With its emphasis on court craft, research excellence, and future-ready advocacy, BBATRC is being hailed as a transformative step for India’s legal profession — one that could redefine how lawyers are trained nationwide.