The need for revamping the legal education system and the ethical role of advocates came under focus at the Southern State Bar Councillors’ Meet, organised by the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry here on Saturday.
While Supreme Court judge P. Sathasivam said legal education was an ongoing process that could not be allowed to stagnate, and underscored the great responsibility cast upon lawyers to follow a strict code of ethics, his colleague Justice F.M. Ibrahim Kalifulla spoke of the vital role played by Bar Councils in shaping the future of advocates.
Mr. Justice Sathasivam said advocacy was a noble profession, and lawyers were accountable to clients. “The legal system affects every aspect of society and lawyers constitute the backbone of the system of law interpretation and enforcement. Their responsibility is also very great and hence they need to follow a strict code of ethics,” he said.
Mr. Justice Kalifulla said four areas needed immediate attention in the judicial system – quality in legal education; quality in service, infrastructure development and leadership.
A report of the Law Commission, he noted, had stated that the quality of legal education had come down. It was the duty of bar councils to set up premier law institutions with faculty of high calibre and a well thought- out curriculum. Mushrooming growth of fake law institutions was another major issue that needed to be addressed.
“If you want to improve legal education system, it is the responsibility of the Bar Council to ensure that lawyers come from reputed institutions and not the fake ones,” he said.
The infrastructure issues were related to up-gradation of technology by introducing e-governance system and the leadership issue was a delicate one and every one have to introspect, he added.
Justice M.Y. Eqbal, Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, in his address said litigants came to an advocate hoping to get matters decided through courts of law and established legal methods.
If the litigant developed frustration and looked out for extra-legal methods, it would result in ‘mob justice’ or ‘instant justice’. It should be ensured that the situation was not allowed to drift up to a stage of striking of work or boycott of court work by employees or advocates, he said.
The State Government should formulate a scheme to provide some fixed financial assistance to junior lawyers at least for an initial period of three years, said Justice D. Murugesan, Judge, Madras High Court.
The demand for raising the Advocates Welfare Fund to Rs 5 lakh, was reasonable and he hoped the government would consider it.
Manan Kumar Misra, Chairman, Bar Council of India and S. Prabakaran, Member, Bar Council of India were among those who spoke on the occasion.
