Justice Sprint on ‘Unlaw the Law: A Multispecies Reflection’

A National Justice Sprint for Law Students Across India

Laws are the invisible architects of society, drawing the lines between who thrives and who merely survives. Across the country, wetlands are turned into cities, hills are flattened for roads, and species lose their homes in silence. These changes are legal, often celebrated as advancement. But if we pause to examine them closely: Legal for whom? Just for whom?

Unlaw the Law is a national justice sprint that invites students to rethink the foundations of legal thinking and existing laws. For too long, our laws have largely imagined only one kind of subject—the human being. This research sprint asks us to imagine otherwise.

What would the law look like if it listened to the lives of forests, rivers, elephants, sparrows, fungi, and soil? What does it mean to design legal ideas that make room for more than just human needs?

What will the Participants Do?

They will choose one Indian law and explore it through a multispecies lens. Together with their team, they will ask:

• Who does this law protect?
• Whose voice is missing?
• What does the law assume about life, harm, or value?
• Can one section of this law be reimagined for all life?

What will Participants Create?

Each team will produce two things:

1. A short written summary (one page or one slide) that explains what they have created. This will help us understand how you read the law, what questions you asked, and what your artwork is inviting us to see or rethink.
2. A creative artwork that brings their legal reimagining to life. This is the heart of your submission. You can choose any form—drawing, collage, short video, sound piece, contract visualisation, mock court scroll, photo story, or something else entirely. Let it be playful, sharp, moving, or unexpected. This is your space to express how the law might look or feel if it took more-than-human life seriously.

Mentorship

Each selected team will receive personal mentorship from someone who works deeply in the fields of law, environmental justice, or storytelling. Our mentors include legal scholars, practitioners, artists, and researchers who are actively exploring questions of justice beyond the human.

They will walk alongside you offering provocations, guidance, and support as you develop your ideas. They are excited to go on this journey with you and help stretch what legal thinking can look and feel like.

Who can apply?

If you are a law student in India, passionate, or even simply curious about this premise, we would love to hear from and engage with you!

How to apply & Timeline

Please fill the form mentioned at the end of this post by 30th May, 3PM to hear back from us. The session is slated for 1st June 2025 from 12PM to 6PM (With food breaks ofcourse).

Click here to apply.