About us

THE ADVOCATES’ WELFARE FUND ACT, 2001: Social security in the form of financial assistance to junior lawyers and welfare schemes for indigent or disabled advocates has always been a matter of concern for the legal fraternity. Certain States enacted their own legislation on the subject. The Parliament enacted “Advocates’ Welfare Fund Act, 2001” applicable to the Union Territories and the States which do not have their own enactments enabling them to create “Advocates’ Welfare Fund”.This Act makes it compulsory for every advocate to affix stamps of the requisite value on every Vakalatnama filed in any Court, Tribunal or other Authority.

Sums collected by way of sale of “Advocates’ Welfare Fund Stamps” constitute an important source of the Fund. Any practicing Advocate may become member of the Fund on payment of an application fee and annual subscription. The Fund shall vest in and be held and applied by the Trustee Committee established by the appropriate Government. The Fund shall, inter alia, be used for making ex-gratia grant to a member of the fund in case of a serious health problem, payment of a fixed amount on cessation of practice and in case of death of a member, to his nominee or legal heir, medical and educational facilities for the members and their dependents, purchase of books and for common facilities for advocates.