Thiruvananthapuram | Keralam Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Monday said legal education must evolve with technological changes to prepare a new generation of professionals to deal with emerging issues, particularly those arising from the rapid growth of AI.
Inaugurating the graduation ceremony of the 2026 pass-out batch of Government Law College here, Satheesan said technological advancement would continue to create new legal possibilities as well as challenges.
Legal education should keep pace with the times so that legal professionals can identify such challenges and address them within the legal framework, he said.
The growth of artificial intelligence, machine learning, quantum computing and biotechnology was bringing significant changes to the legal sector, the CM said.
The increasing use of artificial intelligence had created new legal issues in areas such as copyright and intellectual property rights. Technology-related legal challenges were also growing in areas such as piracy in the film industry, he said.
Law graduates need not restrict themselves to legal practice, as there was a growing need for legal scrutiny and professionals in government and corporate institutions as well as other sectors, Satheesan said.
Legal professionals should explore emerging areas of law in response to changing technological and social conditions, which would create wider employment opportunities for law graduates as well, he said.
Satheesan said Keralam should develop facilities for studying maritime law alongside development activities aimed at transforming the state into a major port hub.
"There are great possibilities for Keralam in the field of maritime law," he said, adding that the possibility of establishing a court with admiralty jurisdiction in Keralam, similar to the one functioning in Bombay, should be examined.
Law is a "living law", and laws and regulations should change with the times, Satheesan said.
Several amendments had been made to the Constitution, and it was essential to reform outdated laws and enact new legislation in accordance with changing social and economic conditions, he said.
The CM reminded law students of the need to have strong constitutional awareness and to keep the legal and constitutional framework in mind while speaking, thinking and acting.
Recalling the traditions of Government Law College and its prominent alumni, Satheesan said he was proud to have been a student of the institution.
Health and Devaswom Minister K Muraleedharan, who presided over the function, said access to justice was a constitutional right of ordinary people and the new generation of lawyers and legal professionals should work effectively to ensure it without delay.
