Law profession evolves slowly
and you not only grow with it, but it grows into you.
Ten Mantras
to make the most of your initial years
1.
Be in the chamber, office, or
court from 9 am to 9 pm, keeping Friday evenings off. Never leave the office
without preparing the cases listed for the next day.
2. Observe how seniors hold
conferences with client and advocates prepare the brief, drafts or settle
pleadings and make their oral submissions.
3. Observe how the judges accept
or disagree with the arguments and make their observation in
court. Learn to think like a judge.
4. Carefully analyse the judgment,
when delivered and understand how the judge had appreciated the arguments
of both the sides and made findings on each issue.
5.
Continue to absorb as much as
possible from the seniors and the court, talk to them. Hear and learn from
their experiences.
6.
Never enter the court without
being thoroughly prepared with the matter listed in the court.
7.
Never leave the court till your
matter is over.
8.
Always be updated with the
judgments of the Supreme Court daily. Maintain your notes register and
remember the citation. It gives you a cutting edge and makes your
contribution to a senior meaningful.
9. While waiting for your case to
come up, don’t stand in the corridors gossiping, that you can do after you have
put in twenty years. Sit in the court and carefully follow the proceedings in
the case being heard. Learn about judges’ perception, the way the
propositions are being considered, and the nature of existing and new
litigation.
10. Read biographies of judges,
advocates and other books
Build rapport with the judges
Eleven steps
for a promising future as a lawyer
The career starts where college
ends and with the existing legal education system, a young graduate will have
to develop meaningful skills to make an effective foothold in the profession.
Apart from what has been stated above, all students must remember and
understand:
1. Nobody likes to visit an
advocate unless it becomes imperative. Every client that comes to you knows the
facts of his case and the injury that he is suffering. He needs the help of an
advocate to get respite and relief.
2. Listen carefully to the
clients’ problems and issues. Never presume facts, always keep your mind
and options open.
3. Always prepare your drafts
after reading each document and carrying out complete research on statutes and
judgments on the subject. Be ready with judgments on both sides – for and
against.
4. Learn to use your intellect and
skills to the work in hand as it comes to you.
5. Every advocate around you has
her/his career, aptitude, attitude, attributes, and approach. Don’t copy
anybody, imitation is suicide.
6. Never place incorrect facts or
mislead the court because in the end the true and correct facts will always
come before the court. Never lose the trust of the judge, don’t allow him
to black you out. Once a judge stops believing in you, he will not grant you discretionary
reliefs and that is very painful.
7. Never be discourteous or show
your tantrums in court. There is always an appeal to a higher court.
8. Always dress properly,
presentation is very important.
9. There are no short cuts in the
profession. Don’t try to rush through the profession, move forward step by
step.
10. You must love reading, writing,
thinking, and open analysis. If you don’t have those potentials don’t spend
your time in this profession.
11. Enjoy your vacation time. Get
out of town and be with your family. Enjoy every bit of your personal and
professional life.
Feel proud to be an advocate. From the time a child
is conceived till the succession certificate of her/his properties is issued,
legal issues are affecting every person. There will always be abrasions in
society, advocates will always be needed, there is no shortage of work, but
there is certainly a dearth of good professional advocates. The most difficult,
but the most important thing is to think and that is what you are paid for.
Read, think, analyse, and express clearly and correctly.
People will continue to come to you for opinion,
advice, and engage you as a professional. Perform your best in every case by
understanding the facts, the issue, and the social evil underlying it,
understand the applicable statute, know, and find the right precedents supporting
your case.
Law is the most dignified profession and is
dynamic. It evolves slowly and you not only grow with it, but it grows into
you. It helps you to grow into a better human being as you continue to search
for truth and help judges to do justice between the parties.
In the profession we deal with abrasions of the
society, so you will always be dealing with violence, exploitation,
illegalities, breaches, manipulation, and mechanization. All that should not be
a deterrence, but a motivation to perform better and work to your perfection
and enjoy the bliss of your existence. Only a happy advocate can perform best.
Always
be a happy advocate.
