One of the leading lawyers of the country Mr. K.K. Venugopal created an endowment in the name of his illustrious father M.K. Nambiar to establish the first Chair on Constitutional Law. Justice E.S. Venkataramiah, Former Chief Justice of India held the Chair until his death.

The UNHCR Chair on Refugee Law was established by the Office of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees with the object of promotion of Refugee Law through teaching and research as well as dissemination of information on Refugee Law. An agreement to this effect was signed between UNHCR and NLSIU on March 21, 1996. The Chair is established as the Asian Centre for Refugee Law. The activities of the chair would include co-ordination and managing studies, research academic courses, training, curriculum development, publication, dissemination of information and documentation pertaining to Refugee Law within the Law School as well as in collaboration with other scholars, researches, teachers and institutions.

Refugee and Humanitarian Law is being offered as a Seminar Course at the under-graduate level and few dissertations have been submitted on issues relating to Refugee Law at the Post-graduate level as well.

NLSIU has laid firm foundation in the sphere of Continuing Legal Education Programmes. The International Bar Association (IBA) has established an Endowment Chair in this regard. The University has been conducting series of Continuing Legal Education Programmes for Lawyers, Judges, Administrator and law teachers on identified subject-areas. Besides, a variety of para-legal and public legal education programmes are part of the teaching and research agenda of NLSIU and the CLE Unit. In addition to this, IBA-CLE Unit undertakes conduct of Continuing Legal Education Programmes on agreed terms, with other organisations. IBA-CLE Unit has conducted many workshops on Advocacy skills for Junior Advocates in District and Sub-Divisional Place of Karnataka. Presently, Dr. V. Nagaraj, Additional Professor Law is the Executive Faculty of this Chair.

The NIHR has entered into an agreement with the NHRC to establish the National Human Rights Commission's Chair on Human Rights at National Law School of India University in November, 1998. The Chair envisages an ambitious three-pronged programme of human rights promotion, which largely coincides with the mandate of the NIHR and includes the following:

- Human Rights Education, which includes, preparation of teaching materials, curriculum preparation and such related activities.

- Research and Publication of human rights issues.

- Documentation of human rights materials.

ICICI, the leading financial institution in India and abroad has established an Endowment Chair in Business Laws. The activities of the Chair would include initiation of measures to enhance the academic quality in this discipline and also undertaking of fundamental and sponsored reach. The faculty members of NLSIU and identified group of students constitute the ICICI Research Team.

Reliance Industries Limited has instituted an Endowment Chair on "Corporate Governance". The Chair will be undertaking extensive fundamental and applied research in the areas of Corporate Governance, Accountability, Corporate Ethics, Shareholder's Democracy etc. Dissemination of legal information and law reform are the other two key areas of Chair's activity.

The National Law School of India University has been able to establish a Chair with the assistance and funding by the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India. The Chair designs courses on multilateral trade negotiation skills, international commercial transactions, and international arbitration for students at both the Under-graduate and Post-graduate levels. The Chair also organizes Conferences, Seminars, and Consultative Meetings for Academics, Professionals, Government Officials and the Corporate Sector. Presently this chair is held by Dr. A. Jayagovind, Prof. of Law, NLSIU.

The National Law School of India University has established a Chair on 'Alternative Disputes Resolution' instituted by an endowment from M/s. Singhania and Co., New Delhi. The activities of the Chair include teaching, research, training, documentation, publication and establishment of fora for amicable settlement of disputes.

V.R. Krishna Iyer Chair has been founded by the V.R. Krishna Iyer Foundation. In the fitness of things, the Chair is to devote to the study and research in public law and policy services. Presently this chair is held by Prof. Uday Raj Rai, UGC Visiting Professor.

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has established a Chair on Juvenile Justice at National Law School with an endowment. The Chair will undertake, coordinate and manage studies, academic courses, training, curriculum development pertaining to Juvenile Justice in particular and Child Rights and interests in general within the University and also in collaboration with other scholars, researchers, teachers, institutions and such other as are set forth. The Chair person will interact with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to develop and conduct programmes and courses for officers engaged in Juvenile Justice Administration in addition to the normal academic, research and documentation functions. The Chair will also undertake specific research and provide consultancy to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in the area of Juvenile justice in particular and Child Rights and Interests in general. The Chair is presently held by Mr. Babu Mathew, Professor of Law at NLSIU.