The Banyan’s pioneering Legal Aid Clinic was launched at the High Court of Chennai in October, 2002. The Legal Aid Clinic was established to ensure that the legal rights of the mentally ill are protected at all times. The Legal Aid Clinic operates from The Banyan, providing legal assistance for mentally ill men and women on the principle that mentally ill persons should be entitled to have free access to legal aid during the period of their treatment and care. Moreover, the establishment of a Lok Adalat at The Banyan premises in 2002 has greatly facilitated the complicated process of issuing Reception Orders, as the magistrate is now able to visit the organisation on a regular basis to issue Reception Orders.