Senior advocate A.S.N. Hebbar on Saturday said advocates should not only follow ethics but also show compassion. He was speaking after inaugurating the two-day P. Shivaji Shetty National Moot Court Competition, organised by Vaikunta Baliga College of Law here.
Mr. Hebbar said if advocates maintain their integrity, there would be no dearth of clients for them. It is also essential for lawyers to keep themselves updated with the latest changes in laws and recent judgments. “The process of learning never stops,” he said.
Citing his own example, Mr. Hebbar said he had passed his LLB degree with distinction, but when he went to a court for the first time, he felt like a fish out of water. A few decades ago, there was no first-hand training on facing the courts, he said.
But now, law colleges often hold moot court competitions which teach budding lawyers how to face the courts and how to ask questions and cross-questions. Students should actively participate in moot court competitions, he advised. “Moot courts are the stepping stones to facing the real court. Sometimes I feel that the real courts should follow these moot or model courts,” Mr. Hebbar said.
Another requisite for a good advocate is command and fluency in their language. Most of the current advocates struggle to speak good Kannada or English, he said. “Only when they have command over the language can they convey their ideas or points effectively to the judge,” Mr. Hebbar said.
Prakash Kanive, principal of the college, welcomed the gathering. Rohit Amin, a professor at the college, delivered the introductory remarks. K. Shashi Kiran Shetty and M. Seetharam Shetty, senior advocates, Jayanti S. Shetty, philanthropist and social worker, were present.
