The Government Law College has completed 155 years of establishment on  5th September 2010. The  college has also been publishing the College Magazine since 1930

...But it all roots back to 1855 when Sir Erskine Perry, the then Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Bombay used to lecture on law after court hours. These classes were on a very informal basis and were attended only by a select group of people. A conscious effort was made by a committee to collect funds in order to institute a chair in Jurisprudence at the Elphinstone Institute. This was to be called the Perry Professorship of Jurisprudence, which came to be in 1855.

In 1855, Dr. R. T. Reid (L.L.B Bar-at-Law & the first Judge of the Small Causes Court, Bombay) was appointed the first Perry Professor of Jurisprudence and the Government Law School (GLS) as it was then called was established at the Elphinstone Institution. The response to the first series of lectures conducted was overwhelming. The Government of India instituted two permanent professorships. The Government Law School has been affiliated with the University of Bombay since 1860 in fact it is older than the University of Bombay and the Bombay High Court itself. In 1891, the Government Law School was shifted to the Elphinstone College at Kala Ghoda. Classes were held in the evenings, after the regular Arts & Science students dispersed for the day. The first Principal was L. J. Robertson who was appointed in 1895.

This may sound hard to believe, but until 1924, no lady students were admitted to the rolls of the Government Law School, as women were then disqualified from being enrolled as legal practitioners in India. However, the first lady to fight for her rights was Ms. Cornalia Sorabjee, who in 1897 acquired special permission from the University Senate to sit for the examination. This gender bias was ultimately removed by a resolution moved by Dr. Harisingh Gour in the Legislative assembly on February 1, 1922. The name, 'Government Law School' was changed to the 'Government Law College' in the year 1925. It was only in 1938 that the college was converted into a full-time institution with classes being held from 10.30 a.m. to 1.15 p.m. It began work under the guidance of the then Principal and full - time Professor A. A. A. Fyzee. After this change of status, the Government of Bombay finally decided to allocate a plot in the Churchgate Reclamation scheme,West of Churchgate station for the Government Law College Building.

A strong need for a college crest was felt in 1932-33 under the personal supervision of Capt. Gladstone Solomon, the then Director of Sir Jamshetji Jeejbhoy School of Art. Thus the work of designing the college crest had started. It comprises of the traditional picture of the blind folded lady who stands for Justice and Law. The sword and the scales in her hands denote the relentlessness and impartiality of law. She is also wearing the legal gown. At her feet is the crowned lion of the Coat of Arms of the University of Bombay. This is an acknowledgement of the affiliation with the University of Bombay. In the background are the rays of the rising sun symbolising our dear Mother country and also Back Bay Reclamation denoting the seat of our college.

The College motto “Ne Vile Fano” is a Latin term which means “Let No Evil Enter”. The institute is most recognized and everyone wishes to pursue their education from there. Great freedom fighters like Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, who is called the architecture of Indian Constitute; Lokmanya Balgangadhar Tilak, freedom fighter; Chief Justice M.C. Chagla, who was the first Indian Chief Justice of Bombay High Court; N.A. Palkhiwala; Sir Motilal Setalvad, the first Attorney General of independent India; The Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Pratibha Patil and many more well-known personalities completed their education from GLC. Government Law College is said to be one of the pioneer law institutions which has given vital contribution to legal education in India. The institution has played a crucial role in the fields of politics, judiciary, history and social life in India and we are sure it will continue to do so in the future.

It’s a daunting task documenting the myriad happenings at an institution as old and illustrious as GLC, however for the past 80 odd years the GLC Magazine Committee has been trying to do just that, to the best of its abilities.

Being the first law school in India, GLC has witnessed some of the country’s most well known lawyers and judges pass through its portals. Thankfully, quite a few of our alumni had a literary bent of mind and contributed extensively to the Law College Magazine , as it was then called. A glance at through the Magazine archives will read as a who’s who of the Indian legal fraternity. We’ve had everyone from M.C Chagla to Nani Palkhivala to Goolam E. Vahanvati writing articles for the Magazine.

The Law College Magazine has evolved over the years. From being a simple paperback booklet to a full blown colour Magazine, being renamed ‘méLAWnge”. It has helped record significant events in the college’s history for posterity’s sake and, we hope, will continue to do so for many more years.

Since we are a college Magazine, we look to our alumni and others for patronage. We approach various well known law firms in the city, to ask for their assistance in helping us publish the Magazine every year. These firms have been more than willing to help us in our endeavour, most of them for atleast the last 10 years or so.

Our Magazine is circulated amongst Supreme Court and High Court Judges. All Law firms in Mumbai, the prominent Law firms of Delhi, various Corporate Houses, Law Colleges all over India and top 40 International Law Schools. Also, copies of the Magazine are presented to the dignitaries met by students while on the annual Delhi Study Tour such as The President of India, The Prime Minister of India,The Chief Justice of India and many more.

We have various competitions, all held annually. They are as follows:

This is a short fiction writing competition, sponsored by Adv. Mr.Soli Dastur , open to students from degree colleges all across the country, both legal and non –legal. The participants are given a line or a plot to incorporate into their stories and are then judged by distinguished judges.

Sponsored by Mulla & Mulla & Craigie Blunt & Caroe, this competition gives GLC students a chance to exhibit their legal writing skills , by writing a legal essay on one of the 4-5 topics provided by us. Mr.Shardul Thacker, Sr. Partner, Mulla & Mulla, judges this competition

This competition is open to students from law schools across the country and is judged by various Bombay High Court Judges and supported by Senior Advocate Mr.Dinesh Vyas.

Knockout is the debate held by the committee. It consists of a moderator and 4 panelists in teams of 2. The pattern varies from year to year, from Ex Students (Advocates) Vs Current Students to Senior Students Vs Junior Students. The topic of the debate is usually a pressing current issue.

The Magazine consists of various sections. It starts with messages from the President of India, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and Bombay High Court. We have a section called ‘At Loggerheads’, which consists of 2 articles of opposing view points written by students on a common current topic. ‘The Past Revisited’ is an article taken from the Magazine archives written by a distinguished member of the legal fraternity during his or her time as a student at GLC.

We interview an eminent legal personality each year and publish the same in the Magazine. Past interviewees include Arun Shourie,Justice Krishna Iyer (Retd.) and Justice B.N.Srikrishna (Retd.)

The Magazine also has a theme section which contains articles by experts and students alike, regarding  an important current topic, not necessarily a legal one.

 The winning entry of the Sir Dinshah Mulla Legal Essay Writing Competition and the first and second place winning entries of Belles-Lettres and the Vyas GLC National Legal Essay Competition are also published.

The Magazine also has the annual reports of the various college committees , recording their activities throughout the year. There is also a list of achievers , which includes the top 3 students from every year and the awards won by students at various moots and other competitions.

Our college Magazine is published by the end of February, and we have an official launch of the same with a Chief Guest.