At KNM & Partners, we believe that the law must serve as a force for equity, inclusion, and societal progress. The Firm’s Pro Bono Practice is at the heart of this belief – reflecting its commitment to ensuring that the underrepresented, marginalized, and vulnerable have meaningful access to justice, quality legal counsel, and avenues for redress.
Leveraging the Firm’s core strengths in corporate advisory and dispute resolution, the Firm’s pro bono practice extends high-quality, multidisciplinary legal services to individuals, NGOs, community-based organizations, social enterprises, and causes that face systemic barriers to accessing legal support. The Firm actively partners with civil society organizations, academic institutions, and legal aid bodies to address legal challenges in areas such as education, environmental justice, gender rights, public health, livelihoods, and housing rights.
From advising nonprofits on structuring and compliance, assisting social entrepreneurs in navigating regulatory frameworks, to representing vulnerable individuals in litigation concerning basic rights and entitlements, the Firm approaches every pro bono mandate with the same level of diligence, attention, and legal excellence as its commercial matters. The Firm’s pro bono disputes team is particularly active in advocating for marginalized voices in public interest litigation (PILs), constitutional challenges, and access to public services, while the Firm’s corporate lawyers assist in setting up and enabling social enterprises, ensuring that impactful organizations are structurally robust and compliant.
The Firm’s approach goes beyond reactive legal services; the Firm actively engages in legal awareness initiatives, capacity-building programs, and policy advocacy efforts, empowering communities to understand, assert, and defend their rights. The Firm views pro bono work as a collaborative journey with its clients and partners, aiming to drive systemic change through law and social dialogue.
Competencies
The Firm assists in the incorporation and legal structuring of NGOs, charitable trusts, societies, and Section 8 companies, ensuring alignment with FCRA, CSR obligations, tax exemptions (Sections 12A and 80G of the Income Tax Act), and good governance practices. The Firm’s services also cover legal advisory for social impact ventures and mission-first startups.
The Firm’s disputes team takes up select matters involving housing rights, gender justice, environmental degradation, access to healthcare, education rights, and government entitlements before district courts, tribunals, High Courts, and the Supreme Court.
The Firm collaborates with NGOs, grassroots bodies, and academic institutions on PILs, constitutional challenges, and strategic litigation, driving reforms on pressing social and environmental issues. The Firm also assists in drafting petitions, regulatory submissions, and stakeholder representations.
The Firm advises social enterprises on blended finance structures, shareholder agreements, hybrid models, impact investment terms, and governance mechanisms, enabling them to balance commercial sustainability with social missions.
The Firm provides advisory to domestic workers, informal sector collectives, and self-help groups, focusing on employment rights, wage claims, wrongful termination, and navigating labour benefits schemes.
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