Legally yours

Lawyers Bapoo and Divya Malcolm have launched an e-magazine to assist lay and professional people in the intricacies of law. Titled "Rightfully Yours,” the monthly electronic publication was launched at Tea Centre on February 6, 2012 in the presence of some senior partners from the reputed law firm of Little and Company namely Dara Mehta, Jayendra Kapadia and Zubin Morris. Others present included lawyer Meher Master-Moos.

Divya believes "there is a huge demand for a query based magazine...the original idea was to make people aware of their rights.” Adds Bapoo, "There is not a single family that does not have a legal problem… be it loans, property, domestic issues, police complaints.” Many are deterred from pursuing legal remedies due to the high cost of lawyers’ and court fees. "On a regular basis, subscribers will be given informed choi­ces, allowing them freedom to act or not act,” notes the letter announcing the launch.

The first issue deals with Order 11 Rule 21 of the Code of Civil Procedure relating "to the discovery (submission/presentation) of relevant documents and the answering of rogatories (questions) by all sides in a civil suit… The normal belief is that inconvenient evidence can and must be hidden…The requirement is that all possible evidence must be presented to the court and that too at the first instance… The basic function of the courts… is to find the truth.”

Divya and Bapoo Malcolm: providing legal guidance online

The editorial notes the "concept of law and legal practice meant many things to many people… people wanted to know all about the law but didn’t know whom to ask… (thus) ‘Rightfully Yours’ was born.”

Subscribers and others may ask up to three questions a month for a nominal charge of Rs 100 a question. "We thought we might be inundated with questions we won’t have the time to answer so we limited the number to three.” At first the duo had thought of offering the service free of cost but felt people do not appreciate or value anything gratis. Morris cautioned them to state the consultation offered should not be termed "legal advice” but "guidance.”

Divya (née Mannan) studied law at Government Law College where she met her husband to be. She later joined Little and Company undertaking legal drafting especially in property and real estate matters. She left the noted legal firm this year and will practice law as well as edit the e-magazine. Bapoo, a one time national and state cycling champion was in the engineering field for 40 years and had set up a factory in Pardi to manufacture gear box pipeline valves. An ill mother compelled him to return to Bombay when after trying his hand at journalism he decided to take up law.

For details on subscribing to the publication and other information e-mail the two at rightfullyyours@ lawyer.com.