Start-up Talk: With Chetan Mali and Apurva Mahajan [Team ‘My Legal Aid’]

‘My Legal Aid’ was founded by Chetan Mali and Apurva Mahajan. The Instagram page of ‘My Legal Aid’ provides insightful content to members of legal fraternity. The team has also come up with short films. Apurva runs ‘one woman show’ and is popularly recognized as the ‘heart’ of the organization.

Hi. Please introduce yourself to our readers.

Mr. Chetan Mali, the Founder-President of ‘My Legal Aid’: I’m a law graduate and pursuing Masters in Business Law and have been active in rural literacy since college days and have held position of education ambassador for two villages for 3 years in a row. I have been editor of Lawgically Speaking Law Magazine and am passionate about reading, traveling, art and nature and have been recognized at various forums for his work in legal awareness. I am a trained martial artist with 2nd Dan Black Belt in Go-jyu-ryu martial arts. I have been national referee for Kick Boxing. Honoured with Silver medal in Chemistry Olympian and in various Quizzes, Debates etc.

Ms. Apurva Mahajan, the founding member is head of operations in ‘My Legal Aid’: I’m a law graduate pursuing Masters in Criminal Law. I have been “one woman show” in directing, editing, make up, script writing in filming the socio-legal short films and have designed Lawgically Speaking Law Magazine and all other Courses modules. I have worked on various forums to boost legal awareness, from theatres to street plays and train and guide interns in the organization hence. I have been active art performer whether it be the dance, music or paintings.

Please tell us about ‘My Legal Aid’.

‘My Legal Aid’ is a comprehensive platform for learning, application and propagation of effective and reliable legal knowledge. We at ‘My Legal Aid’ helps to connect all the stakeholders of legal profession with effective legal learning program to strive in the career. We have marked our presence on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. We have conducted ourselves to gain the trust of our audience in propagating reliable legal knowledge and solving their legal problems. Our courses have helped the students as well as the lawyers to upgrade themselves to do better in their career. Our short films are already making difference in the society.

Our team work with object to help you develop good will with healthy and sustainable practice in law. We provide courses, internships and training programs to boost your confidence to strive in the field of law.

What prompted you to start ‘My Legal Aid’? How did you start ‘My Legal Aid’? Considering its something different, what challenges did you guys faced?

During law school it was very difficult to learn practical aspects, the rigidness of the field made it difficult for first generation lawyers to learn and adapt fast. While working at the village level it triggered us that there is so much in the field of law which is unexplored. People are falling prey to exploitation due to lack of basic knowledge of law and at the same time we were looking for the platform to explore facets of law practice. To deal with this issue we came up with the concept ‘My Legal Aid’. The first challenge we faced was that no one believed in what we were doing and that is what became motivation for us to create something different.

[LawBhoomi’s Note: Yes, that’s the first and biggest challenge]

Please tell our readers when did you start ‘My Legal Aid’. What’s the main idea behind ‘My Legal Aid’?

As our motto suggest that …there is a remedy! The object was to be the catalyst in help getting access to this remedy available in law.

You guys have also come up with Short Movies. Please let us know about it.

Yes, we have. Being law students-lawyers, we have witnessed the trauma of victims and most of victims and their stories remain undiscovered. The only thing we strongly felt that our work should touch the heart and brain of viewers to “act”. Most vital element of our short films are there are no dialogues in it.

Thus, it becomes difficult to portray but interesting to find out the meaning interpreted by every individual viewer as per his/her perspective. We have come up with short films on Animal Abuse, Domestic Violence (Kaichi) and Acid Attacks (Parchhai).

What would be your parting message to our readers?

Legal profession is one of the honorable professions and it is our solemn duty to uphold this position so that people don’t stop believing in the rule of law.

No matter how small your idea is, work on it, have faith in it. We had no support of people around me but we had the final picture (destination) in front of us and that is what made us keep going. While putting small effort everyday it compounded into bold and strong organization. Be consistent and confident in what you do, you will always find a way forward.