Prof. (Dr.) Richa Chaudhary is a renowned academician and seasoned administrator, currently serving as Professor and Dean at the Faculty of Law, SGT University. She holds an impressive academic background with qualifications including B.A. LL.B., LL.M., Ph.D., MBA (HR), and a Postgraduate degree in Human Rights.
She has held prominent leadership roles at reputed institutions such as Vivekananda Global University and Lloyd Law College. Known for her expertise in teaching, strategic planning, and academic administration, Prof. (Dr.) Chaudhary has also made substantial contributions to legal scholarship, with numerous publications in Scopus-indexed and UGC CARE-listed journals.
Interview: Prof. (Dr.) Richa Chaudhary | Dean, Faculty of Law, SGT University, Gurugram
In this exclusive interview with Legal Bites, Prof. (Dr.) Richa Chaudhary, Dean, Faculty of Law, SGT University, Gurugram, shares her insights on the institution’s vision and positioning, unique academic approach, curriculum innovation, clinical legal education, collaborations and professional exposure, career preparation initiatives, the role of digital platforms like Legal Bites, and her future goals to elevate SGT Law as a national leader in legal education.
Read below for the full interview covering her transformative ideas, strategic initiatives, and commitment to producing socially conscious, industry-ready legal professionals.
Empowering Legal Minds: SGT’s Educational Vision
Legal Bites: As Dean of the Faculty of Law at SGT University, what has been your vision for the growth and positioning of the law school in India’s legal education ecosystem?
Dr. Richa Chaudhary: As the Dean of the Faculty of Law at SGT University, my vision has been to transform the law school into a dynamic centre of legal education that balances academic excellence with social responsibility. I envision the Faculty as a hub of interdisciplinary and experiential learning, where students not only gain a strong foundation in legal theory but also engage with real-world challenges through moot courts, legal aid camps, clinical programs, and internships.
We are committed to fostering a culture of research, innovation, and critical thinking, supported by a faculty that blends academic depth with professional expertise. Our focus is on producing globally competent legal professionals who are deeply rooted in constitutional values and committed to access to justice.
We are steadily building national and international collaborations, integrating legal technology into our pedagogy, and strengthening our community outreach programs to ensure that our students emerge as skilled, ethical, and socially conscious legal professionals.
Legal Bites: What makes the SGT Faculty of Law unique in its academic approach and student engagement compared to other private law schools in India?
Dr. Richa Chaudhary: What makes the Faculty of Law at SGT University unique is its holistic, student-centric academic approach that blends tradition with innovation. Unlike many private law schools, we prioritise experiential and interdisciplinary learning through a structured balance of lectures, small group teaching, and self-directed learning.
Our curriculum is regularly updated to include contemporary legal developments, emerging areas like legal tech, AI, and cyber law, along with traditional core subjects. We focus heavily on practical training through active legal aid clinics, moot court sessions, debates, guest lectures, court visits and internships.
Student engagement is enhanced by encouraging participation in research cells, policy debates, field projects, and faculty-mentored publications. The availability of mentorship programs, career guidance, and interactive teaching methods ensures a nurturing academic environment. Moreover, our strong linkages with legal professionals, think tanks, etc, provide students with exposure that goes beyond the classroom, making their learning deeply contextual, socially relevant, and professionally rewarding.
Curriculum Innovation and Industry Relevance
Legal Bites: How is the Faculty adapting to the New Education Policy and the evolving demands of the legal profession?
Dr. Richa Chaudhary: Embracing the National Education Policy, the Faculty of Law at SGT University has redesigned its curriculum to be more flexible, multidisciplinary, and skill-driven—mirroring the NEP’s emphasis on holistic and experiential learning. We now offer elective clusters that allow students to pair law with related fields such as technology, business, environmental policy, and public health. Internships and clinical engagements are integrated into the core program, ensuring students accumulate practical experience while studying.
Pedagogically, we’ve shifted toward moot courts, client counselling clinics, legal tech workshops, and simulation exercises that cultivate essential advocacy, negotiation, and drafting skills.
A revamped assessment framework minimises heavy reliance on end-term examinations in favour of continuous evaluation through seminars, project-based assignments, and reflective portfolios.
Furthermore, recognising the rapidly evolving legal profession, the faculty is equipping students with competencies in legal research tools, data privacy, cyber law, and emerging technologies, alongside soft skills like ethical judgment and client communication, preparing graduates to thrive in both legal practice and diverse interdisciplinary roles.
Legal Bites: What steps has SGT University taken to promote clinical legal education and practical legal training?
Dr. Richa Chaudhary: At SGT University, the Faculty of Law places strong emphasis on clinical legal education and practical training by embedding hands-on learning into every stage of the academic journey. Our students undergo compulsory internships with law firms, courts, government bodies, NGOs, and corporate legal departments to gain direct exposure to the professional world. The university regularly organises moot court competitions, mock trials, and client counselling sessions, where students develop advocacy, analytical, and courtroom etiquette skills.
Active participation in debates, judgment writing, and legal quizzes further sharpens their legal reasoning and articulation. We also run specialised legal drafting and research clinics that train students in preparing pleadings, contracts, notices, and policy briefs—skills essential for any legal career.
Most importantly, we are committed to Outcome-Based Education (OBE), ensuring that all our teaching and learning processes are aligned with measurable skill development and professional competencies. By combining theory with rigorous, structured practice, SGT Law students are groomed to be industry-ready, ethically grounded, and socially responsible legal professionals.
Collaborations and Professional Exposure
Legal Bites: Can you share some key academic or industry collaborations that have benefited students at SGT Law?
Dr. Richa Chaudhary: The Faculty of Law at SGT University has entered into several strategic academic and industry collaborations through MOUs, all designed to enhance students’ practical skills, academic exposure, and social responsibility.
- We have signed an MOU with the Ranka Public Charitable Trust to strengthen practical advocacy skills through joint activities such as trial advocacy workshops, client counselling sessions, and moot courts. With the CUTS Institute for Regulation & Competition, we are working closely on emerging trends in dispute resolution, helping students stay ahead in domains like arbitration, mediation, and regulatory practices.
- An important collaboration with the International Council of Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security, Research and Development (ICAICSRD) aims to provide students with opportunities for academic research and grooming in technologically advanced fields like AI and cyber law—crucial in today’s legal landscape.
- To enrich our curriculum in criminal law and forensic sciences, we have partnered with the Centre for Criminal Investigation and Forensic Science (CCIFS) and Tabish Sarosh and Associates (TSA). These tie-ups have also helped us roll out new certificate and diploma programs, ensuring our students get multidisciplinary exposure.
- On the community engagement front, our MOU with The Donation Box India Foundation allows students to participate in grassroots legal awareness and social outreach programs, helping them develop a deeper sense of empathy and legal responsibility.
- Our academic collaboration with NUSRL, Ranchi, aims to provide a rigorous research-oriented environment through joint conferences, seminars, and student exchange initiatives. To further enhance student employability, we have joined hands with Knowledge Steez Hub, which facilitates training sessions, resume-building workshops, and legal career awareness programs.
- Finally, through our MOU with Panch Parmeshwar Vidyapeeth, students work on understanding government policy implementation and contribute to the development of nearby villages, thereby integrating legal knowledge with rural upliftment and policy analysis.
Together, these collaborations significantly enrich the academic, professional, and ethical development of our law students.
Legal Bites: What initiatives are in place to prepare students for judiciary exams, litigation, corporate practice, or international opportunities?
Dr. Richa Chaudhary: At SGT University, the Faculty of Law has designed a range of targeted initiatives to cater to the diverse career paths our students aspire to pursue—be it judiciary exams, litigation, corporate law, or international legal practice.
For judicial service aspirants, we offer regular preparatory classes, guest lectures by judges and judicial officers, and focused workshops on procedural laws, judgment writing, and current legal developments. Those inclined toward litigation benefit from intensive moot court training, internships with trial and appellate lawyers, and exposure through legal aid clinics that simulate real client experiences.
Students aiming for international opportunities are encouraged to participate in international moots, research publications, and model UNs, and we assist them in applying for LL.M. programs, exchange programs, and international internships.
Career counselling, personality development sessions, and resume-building workshops complement these efforts, ensuring that our students are well-prepared for a competitive and evolving global legal landscape.
Technology and Legal Learning Platforms
Legal Bites: How effective do you find digital education platforms like Legal Bites in complementing traditional legal education?
Dr. Richa Chaudhary: Digital education platforms like Legal Bites play a highly effective and complementary role in enhancing traditional legal education, especially in today’s hybrid learning environment. These platforms provide easy access to well-structured legal content, including articles, case summaries, notes, quizzes, and interview experiences, which help students reinforce classroom learning at their own pace.
They are particularly useful for exam preparation, offering concise and updated material on key legal topics and recent judgments. Platforms like Legal Bites also host webinars, competitions, and certificate courses, enabling students to build their profiles and gain exposure beyond the regular curriculum.
For faculty, such platforms serve as additional teaching resources, offering current case law and policy developments which can be integrated into lectures and discussions. Furthermore, the availability of career guidance content, internship alerts, and practical insights through these platforms prepares students for real-world challenges.
In summary, Legal Bites and similar platforms are valuable academic tools that supplement classroom teaching, promote self-directed learning, and contribute significantly to the overall legal education ecosystem when used judiciously alongside institutional instruction.
Future Plans and Aspirations
Legal Bites: What are your key goals for the Faculty of Law over the next 3–5 years, in terms of research, student success, and national recognition?
Dr. Richa Chaudhary: Over the next 3–5 years, my vision for the Faculty of Law at SGT University is to establish it as a nationally recognised centre of legal excellence, grounded in innovation, research, and service. We are committed to strengthening our research ecosystem by setting up dedicated centres in key areas, while promoting high-quality faculty and student publications in reputed journals.
On the student front, our goal is to introduce tailored career pathways for judiciary, litigation, corporate practice, and international opportunities, supported by expert mentoring, training modules, and internship networks. We also plan to expand our global and industry collaborations, offer skill-based diploma and certificate programs, and integrate legal technology into our teaching and practice.
In terms of national recognition, we aim to feature prominently in law school rankings, achieve key accreditations, and be known for our impactful legal aid, pro bono, and policy outreach initiatives. Through this three-pronged focus on research, student advancement, and institutional reputation, we aspire to shape SGT Law into a leading force in India’s legal education landscape.