 "N V Ramana, Chief Justice of India-designate, CJI")
Indian law firms need to remove perceptions that they are only for the service of rich people by taking up pro-bono cases and helping those who are inhibited from accessing courts, Chief Justice of India N V Ramana said on Wednesday.
The CJI recalled the old days and said although it was very easy to obtain a law degree, but, extremely challenging to have a livelihood out of the same and the situation is not much different as even today inequity in opportunities for lawyers existing.
Justice Ramana was speaking in a virtual event organised by the Society of Indian Law Firms and lawyer Lalit Bhasin for releasing a Coffee Table Book which contains information about practice areas, business sectors, clients and activities of more than 100-member law firms of SILF with over 3000 lawyers.
A significant aspect that Indian law firms need to consider is their community outreach. The prevailing perception is that law firms are only for the service of rich men. There exists misconception among the people, even among lawyers who practice in the courts, that activities of the law firm do not relate to society.
The need of the hour is to remove such perceptions. Internationally, law firms are taking up several social causes and actively engaging in providing justice to those in need. I urge you all to take up more and more pro-bono cases and reach out to those who are inhibited from reaching us. When it comes to fulfilling our constitutional aspirations, we all must do our bit, he said.
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The head of the judiciary simultaneously hailed Indian law Firms saying they are on the same footing as their global counterparts and referred to their roles in India's economic growth post liberalisation.
Admittedly, despite the pandemic in 2020, India recorded over 350 Mergers And Acquisitions deals worth USD 37.5 billion, he said.
The cross-border deal activity recorded over 140 transactions with deal values worth USD 21 billion. Moreover, 2020 saw record Private Equity deal making activity in India with investments worth USD 40 billion, 28 per cent higher than the previous record witnessed in 2019, with around 950 deals. There is no denying that the law firms have been in the forefront of India's economy, he said.
The CJI said the law firms must focus on retaining more women lawyers by incorporating necessary institutional changes.
The CJI said that it was a well-known fact that law firms provide economic mobility for first-generation law graduates who otherwise would have struggled within the system of litigation practice, however, often "we hear issues about lack of diversity within law firms."
Major law firms tend to go to only Tier-I cities and select universities for recruitment. In this process, many young talented lawyers, despite their interest and willingness, are left out of the process, he said.
There are diamonds in the rough everywhere. I would urge you all to take up initiatives to ensure inclusivity and realize full potential of our human resources. After all, diversity brings wide-ranging opinions to the table. A diverse team can provide more equitable and holistic solutions, he added.
He added that some of the best lawyers in our countries legal history have been from small towns and villages.
While we are aiming to compete with the best international firms, we must not forget to look inward as well, he added.
Tier 2 and 3 cities are becoming hubs of commercial activities. This would necessarily lead to transactions and disputes. Law firms must find local talent to handle these clients. Law firm training camps can be set up in regional law schools to prepare future lawyers and find talent, he said.
Lastly, an area in which law firms need to a pay particular attention to is the impact of ethics in their practice, he said.
We all are custodians of a very rich tradition. We must pursue our chosen path with utmost integrity, he said.
Also speaking at the occasion, Attorney General K K Venugopal said that the legal profession cannot lead in ignorance of the reality of India- a society that is characterised by massive inequality and injustice.
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