Page 2 - Bar Council Of India

International arbitration in India: One step forward with new rules

The Bar Council's latest rules go a long way but there are some major hurdles to India's evolution as a global arbitral centre

Law firms plan fee hikes to retain talent amid 'foreign entry'

Worried about star performers being poached

TMS Ep394: Car sales in India, BCI's new rule, OMC stocks, G-SIBs

Are car sales moving to the slow lane? How will BCI's new rule change Indian legal landscape? Is it the right time to buy OMC stocks? What are Global Systemically Important Banks? Answers here

Foreign law firms can only advise foreign clients on foreign law: BCI

Bar Council of India also said that the new rules will help India become a global hub of international commercial arbitration

Foreign lawyers, law firms cannot appear in courts, judicial forum: BCI

The Bar Council of India (BCI) assured Indian lawyers on Sunday that foreign advocates and law firms will not be allowed to appear in any court or judicial forum and that they can only advise their clients about foreign laws and international laws. The BCI assurance came after its recent decision to permit foreign lawyers and law firms to practise in certain areas evoked mixed reactions and created "some misgivings". Recently, the apex bar body took a significant decision to permit foreign lawyers and law firms to practise in areas such as foreign law, international legal issues and arbitration matters, saying that the legal fraternity here may be left behind if it sleeps over the matter. The BCI decision to notify the Bar Council of India Rules for Registration and Regulation of Foreign Lawyers and Foreign Law Firms in India, 2022 evoked mixed reactions from bar leaders. "There are some misgivings in circulation about the recently published Gazette notification by BCI regarding en

Entry of foreign law firms will help businesses and law professionals

The Indian legal industry is in a state similar to the Indian manufacturing industry prior to 1991. The BCI has now started the process of liberalisation

Global law, local practice

BCI's move recognises India's corporate globalisation

Bar council allows foreign lawyers, legal firms to practice in India

The BCI said India was not likely to suffer any disadvantage as a result of the rules

Bar Council permits foreign law firms to practice in select fields in India

BCI said that the entry of foreign firms will be restricted, well-controlled and regulated to ensure that it is mutually beneficial to Indian as well as foreign lawyers

Will consider including law on right to education in curriculum: BCI to HC

The Bar Council of India on Tuesday told Delhi High Court that it will consider within "reasonable time" the issue of introducing Right to Education Act as a compulsory subject in law colleges. A bench headed by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma was hearing a public interest litigation by NGO Social Jurist, which asserted that Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, a key right of children, can be implemented in its true letter and spirit only if it is taught as a compulsory subject in the curriculum rather than just being part of a subject. Lawyer Ashok Agarwal, the petitioner's counsel, said a representation was made to the Council last month to include RTE Act in the curriculum and the authority should be asked to decide the same. The counsel for the Bar Council of India (BCI) said the body would certainly look into the representation within a reasonable time. Under Legal Education Rules, the Council is empowered with the responsibility of prescribi

Gowri sworn in as Madras HC judge, SC dismisses plea against appointment

Apex court bench says court can only decide the question of Gowri's eligibility, not her suitability

Cal HC seeks BCI's reply on mother's identification for advocate enrollment

The Calcutta High Court has sought response of the Bar Council of India and its West Bengal counterpart on a prayer that enrolment application forms for advocates should also include space for information relating to mothers in addition to that of father and husband. Petitioner Mrinalini Majumdar, an advocate, claimed in the PIL that forms for enrolment and identity cards of the State Bar Council of West Bengal continue to depict an "overpowering streak of patriarchy". The petitioner claimed that forms for enrolment and identity cards issued by the Bar Council do not contain any column for mentioning particulars of mothers. A division bench presided by Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava directed the Bar Council to file an affidavit-in-opposition within four weeks. In its order earlier this week, the court said the State Bar Council of West Bengal, which is also a respondent in the petition, may file its affidavit within the same period, while the petitioner may file reply to these i

HC issues notice to Bar Council of India on PIL against court vacations

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday issued a notice to the Bar Council of India (BCI) seeking its response on a plea challenging the practice of courts taking long vacations, thereby affecting hearing of cases. A bench of Justices SV Gangapurwala and SG Dige noted that the expectation of the litigant was legitimate, but added a shortage of judges was also an issue that needed to be addressed. "From where do you get judges to constitute benches? Expectation of the litigant is legitimate and we understand, and the predicament too, but what can we do", the court said. The bench was hearing a public interest litigation filed by one Sabina Lakdawala challenging the vacations being taken by the High Court claiming the practice is in violation of the fundamental rights of litigants whose rights to seek justice gets affected. The bench noted that the views of the BCI on the plea was relevant. The high court breaks for vacations three times every year - summer vacation (one month), Diwali ...

State of legal education worrying: HC directs BCI to conduct surprise visit

Observing that the condition of legal education, including its infrastructure, is nothing but worrying, the Delhi High Court on Friday directed the Bar Council of India (BCI) to constitute special expert teams to conduct surprise visits to law colleges in the country. Justice Chandra Dhari Singh said that BCI shall upload such inspection reports on its website within one month and also take immediate steps to close those colleges that are found lacking minimum infrastructural facilities. While lamenting the commercialization of education, the judge added that these steps ought to be introduced to "cure the maladies that legal education is suffering from" and that it was surprising how the stakeholders of legal education could tolerate such a situation. The court's order was passed on petitions by a private law college here on the issue of increasing the intake of students for its BA LLB 5-year integrated course. The condition of legal education including the status of infrastructu

Bar bodies favour amendment to increase retirement age of SC, HC judges

Bar bodies led by the Bar Council of India (BCI) have unanimously favoured amending the Constitution to enhance the retirement age of judges of the high court and the Supreme Court to 65 and 67 years respectively. At present trial court judicial officers, HC and SC judges superannuate at the age of 60, 62 and 65 years respectively and especially the bar leaders have been demanding enhancement of retirement age of judges of the higher judiciary. The Joint Meeting of all the State Bar Councils, the office-bearers of High Court Bar Associations and Bar Council of India held last week had discussed the issue with regard to enhancement of age of superannuation of Judges of high courts and Supreme Court. The same was thoroughly considered; and after consideration, the meeting unanimously came to a conclusion that there should be immediate amendment in the Constitution and the retirement age of Judges of high court should be enhanced from 62 to 65 years and the age of superannuation of the

File reply on contempt plea: SC asks BCI on complaint against lawyers

The Supreme Court directed the BCI to file a detailed reply on a contempt plea alleging disobedience of its order asking state bar bodies to decide complaints against lawyers within a year

BCI to write to Centre seeking CIA probe into lawyer's murder in Kerala

Advocate Rajnith Srinivas was hacked to death inside his house in front of his mother, wife and daughter on Sunday Morning

Only way was to compare job survey with 7-year-old census: S P Mukherjee

In a Q&A, the chairman of an expert group advising the govt, says data in the enterprise-based that which showed a 22% rise in factory jobs in April-June, was misrepresented

Called a meeting to frame rules on strikes by lawyers: Bar Council to SC

The Bar Council of India on Friday informed the Supreme Court that it has convened a meeting to formulate rules for curtailing strikes by lawyers

Next All India Bar Examination to be held on October 24, says BCI

The next All India Bar Examination will be held on October 24, the Bar Council of India (BCI) said on Tuesday.