Former Andhra Pradesh High Court judge Justice G Raghuram recently highlighted the importance of lawyers in sustaining democracy in a country..Speaking as the Chief Guest on The Role of Trial Lawyers in dispensing justice at Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU), Raipur, he said,"Hopefully in the near future you will all be lawyers in a democracy (if you're able to keep it so for some time to come)...the legal community plays a critical role in the sustenance and nurturing of democracy since this is a community that is suited to keep citizens aware of the eternal paradox that there can be no liberty without law. The legal profession serves as a rudder for the democratic boat as she and her passengers set out on the perilous voyage of government. So the role and responsibilities of this profession and of the trial lawyer in that complex structure is to develop sound reasoning and uphold it.".The former Director of the National Judicial Academy also lamented the diminishing quality of trial court lawyers."Today, when you go to a court at the trial level or at the highest level, you don't get great exemplars of law. You have people who take you for a ride on a bullock cart without springs and tell you it's an air-conditioned Volvo bus, and you end up losing whatever wealth you have chasing a phantom of delusionary success. Those lawyers are plenty, you don't have great mentors which fortunately we had. Not that they're not there, but they're significantly reducing." .Sharing insights into what happens in a courtroom in India, Justice Raghuram said,"In court, it is natural to be disoriented. In India, there's a bad practice - everyone is simultaneously talking and the only thing missing is rationality. Everybody is shouting at everybody else...It's a Baahubali scene in every news channel. Everybody is fighting everybody else in that arena in a gladiatorial combat. This is what happens in the court - how do you keep your wits? How do you come back to the point where you started? This is the challenge.".Urging law students to opt for litigation instead of starting off in the corporate world with handsome packages, Justice Raghuram said, "If you have the staple curd rice for eighty years of your life for breakfast, lunch and dinner, you won't want to live beyond a year. You need some spice and excitement in your life - so don't go into transactional or appellate work in the beginning. Go into trial work, then appellate - you'll get a feel of the battle.When you become a successful lawyer, the who's-who of transactional work, the bosses of big corporations, will wait in attendance for your appointment as a lawyer. It has happened with me as a first-generation lawyer, there's no reason it should not happen with everyone of you.".HNLU Vice-Chancellor Prof (Dr) VC Vivekanandan mentioned the five attributes of a successful trial lawyer. 1. The ability to communicate effectively is paramount to a trial lawyer. This is not only for articulating arguments clearly and persuasively, but also the skill to listen actively to witness clients and opposition to identify weaknesses and inconsistencies in the narrative.2. Master the art of preparation: not just the facts of the case but meticulously planning every aspect of the trial. Successful trial lawyers anticipate the response of the opposition and prepare counter arguments. 3. Cultivate strong analytical and research skills and the ability to analyse complex information and distil it to clear, persuasive research.4. Fostering relationships and developing a network.5. Maintaining ethical integrity and cultivating resilience to rise above setbacks..If you would like to share updates from your law school or get featured on Bar & Bench's Apprentice Lawyer section, fill the form here.
Former Andhra Pradesh High Court judge Justice G Raghuram recently highlighted the importance of lawyers in sustaining democracy in a country..Speaking as the Chief Guest on The Role of Trial Lawyers in dispensing justice at Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU), Raipur, he said,"Hopefully in the near future you will all be lawyers in a democracy (if you're able to keep it so for some time to come)...the legal community plays a critical role in the sustenance and nurturing of democracy since this is a community that is suited to keep citizens aware of the eternal paradox that there can be no liberty without law. The legal profession serves as a rudder for the democratic boat as she and her passengers set out on the perilous voyage of government. So the role and responsibilities of this profession and of the trial lawyer in that complex structure is to develop sound reasoning and uphold it.".The former Director of the National Judicial Academy also lamented the diminishing quality of trial court lawyers."Today, when you go to a court at the trial level or at the highest level, you don't get great exemplars of law. You have people who take you for a ride on a bullock cart without springs and tell you it's an air-conditioned Volvo bus, and you end up losing whatever wealth you have chasing a phantom of delusionary success. Those lawyers are plenty, you don't have great mentors which fortunately we had. Not that they're not there, but they're significantly reducing." .Sharing insights into what happens in a courtroom in India, Justice Raghuram said,"In court, it is natural to be disoriented. In India, there's a bad practice - everyone is simultaneously talking and the only thing missing is rationality. Everybody is shouting at everybody else...It's a Baahubali scene in every news channel. Everybody is fighting everybody else in that arena in a gladiatorial combat. This is what happens in the court - how do you keep your wits? How do you come back to the point where you started? This is the challenge.".Urging law students to opt for litigation instead of starting off in the corporate world with handsome packages, Justice Raghuram said, "If you have the staple curd rice for eighty years of your life for breakfast, lunch and dinner, you won't want to live beyond a year. You need some spice and excitement in your life - so don't go into transactional or appellate work in the beginning. Go into trial work, then appellate - you'll get a feel of the battle.When you become a successful lawyer, the who's-who of transactional work, the bosses of big corporations, will wait in attendance for your appointment as a lawyer. It has happened with me as a first-generation lawyer, there's no reason it should not happen with everyone of you.".HNLU Vice-Chancellor Prof (Dr) VC Vivekanandan mentioned the five attributes of a successful trial lawyer. 1. The ability to communicate effectively is paramount to a trial lawyer. This is not only for articulating arguments clearly and persuasively, but also the skill to listen actively to witness clients and opposition to identify weaknesses and inconsistencies in the narrative.2. Master the art of preparation: not just the facts of the case but meticulously planning every aspect of the trial. Successful trial lawyers anticipate the response of the opposition and prepare counter arguments. 3. Cultivate strong analytical and research skills and the ability to analyse complex information and distil it to clear, persuasive research.4. Fostering relationships and developing a network.5. Maintaining ethical integrity and cultivating resilience to rise above setbacks..If you would like to share updates from your law school or get featured on Bar & Bench's Apprentice Lawyer section, fill the form here.
