School of Law
Dean's Welcome
It is indeed a great opportunity to welcome you to the official website of Kathmandu University School of Law (KUSOL) as its Dean and senior professor.
The School of Law is the seventh and latest School at Kathmandu University. It was established in 2014 to tap the great opportunity abundant in Nepal for a high quality law school, which can maintain an educational programme that prepares its students for admission to the bar, and effective as well as responsible participation in the legal profession.
The state of the legal profession in Nepal is not at its best. The urgent need for the proper development of the legal profession of Nepal requires critical thinkers in jurisprudence as well as the practice of law. We need to evolve and develop to meet the changing requirements of our time. It is important to look consistently at ongoing academic and professional debates, public discussions and media reports in order to meet these needs. We are mindful of the challenges of the legal profession, as well as all the exciting changes taking place around us. Our students will obtain the excellent training they deserve so as to become good lawyers (in-house advisors, negotiators, advocates, judges, prosecutors, administrators, legal consultants, corporate secretaries and executives exercising considerable quasi-legislative powers) and respond to the demands of society in emerging legal areas, keeping in view the requirements of expanding development needs, business and the economy, and contribute to the improvement of law as well as to the development of the legal system.
The objective of the legal education we offer is certainly the development of sound legal knowledge and skills among the current and prospective lawyers in our society. It is to train individuals not merely to solve legal problems related to his/her clients, but also of the society in which he or she lives. While we emphasize the practice-focused approach and initiatives, we also emphasize interdisciplinary approaches in legal studies.
The first undergraduate programme that we offered is an integrated five year Bachelor of Business Management & Bachelor of Laws (BBM-LL.B) course. This programme helps create a new generation of bright young lawyers who will be trained in law and management, so as to cater to the requirements of the business and corporate sector in Nepal, one which has long struggled with the paucity of trained lawyers who have some understanding of business management and organizational practices, and can bring fresh energy, commitment, leadership and creativity into finding solutions to complex legal problems.
Our second undergraduate offer is integrated Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Laws (BEc-LL.B) programme. This programme blends the law and economics with the objective of applying economic theory and method to the study and practice of law. It aims to produce lawyers who are equipped to practice law in the much needed economic and development sector of Nepal, and have the knowledge, skills and attributes required for problem solving and decision making across a diverse range of issues surrounding the rule of law, economics and development. A lawyer, who is trained in both law and economics, focusing on the developmental requirements of the country, will have a definite efficiency perspective while making decisions in the legal economic sector.
Our programmes emphasize academic rigour, professional ethics, and the real work of 'lawyering' to support our undergraduate students to become successful. They will help students keep pace with rapidly evolving legal, economic, and technological developments. Our students are bound to succeed because they are rapidly immersed in a broad and challenging curriculum focused on the fundamentals of legal theory, the skills vital to the practice of law, and the highest ethical and professional standards.
The School of Law students will bring unique backgrounds and life experiences to our learning environment, assisted by a mixed group of national and international faculty members. They will participate in seminars and workshops, very often with leading figures in the law and corporate sectors of Nepal, highlighting needs and generating new ideas and theories. The focus is on combining academic rigour and skills-centered courses to develop practice-ready undergraduates. Our programme offers a rich array of opportunities to engage in pro bono as well as remunerative legal work under the supervision of practicing lawyers and the guidance of thoughtful, broad-minded, and experienced teachers. This is key to the law school helping to foster confident, savvy, and most importantly, socially responsible lawyers.
As Dean, I welcome you to this vibrant, intellectually stimulating, and close-knit community of Kathmandu University. The unique combination of professionalism, vibrant discussion and a pastoral approach remains the hallmark of Kathmandu University's faculty, staff, and students who have benefitted from these. The School of Law is in no way different.
I encourage you to explore KUSOL online, read our newsletters, and join our online communities to learn more about the School - our academic programmes, our values and culture, and our contributions to the legal community as well as to society.
Rishikesh Wagle, PhD
Dean & Professor of Law
December 21, 2021