Hon’ble Mr. Justice G. Raghuram, Former Director, National Judicial Academy and Distinguished Jurist Professor at HNLU, delivered the Distinguished Lecture at Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU) on 28th March 2024 on the theme ‘Role & Responsibilities of a Trial Lawyer in the Dispensation of Justice’ at the University Auditorium.
In his Keynote Address, Hon’ble Mr. Justice G. Raghuram in his hour-long speech peppered with quotes of jurists gave an ariel view of the current status of law practice and observed, “The salient fact about litigation lawyers in the adversary legal system is that it is perceived to require zealous representation of particular clients rather than justice writ large and to manipulating facts and law to benefit their clients. Unlike legislators who are required to fairly balance the interest and claims of all persons and judges who are charged to discern the true account of the facts of a case and to apply the law dispassionately to these facts; adversary lawyers are often required to do things for clients that would be immoral if done by ordinary people in ordinary circumstances. The legal profession is seen to pursue and to be duty-bound to chase outcomes that clients favour but which may be unfair to others.”
He lamented on the current status of legal education, “On the whole however, the adversarial method is not inherently evil. It is the normative indifference and value sterility of a significant number of the members of the profession that contributes to this pathology. The general ideals of professional ethics are considered mere fraternal admonitions, and the rules of professional conduct are not internalized even on their explicit terms. Legal ethics occupy a low priority in law school curricula; and the obsolescence of the apprenticeship system and of association in the chambers of reputed senior advocates disable the mentoring opportunity. Ethical role models are few and far in between; the toxic exemplars being those who have succeeded in any which way.
He further stressed upon the significance of advocacy, where he noted the way in which the trial lawyers voice the concerns of those potentially unheard, extending their advocacy beyond the courtroom to negotiation and mediation, thereby saving time and reducing legal costs. He also shared insights into becoming a successful trial lawyer, focusing on the necessity of exceptional communication, thorough preparation, strong analytical and research skills, building professional relationships, and maintaining ethical integrity and resilience.
The event had Prof. (Dr.) V. C. Vivekanandan, Vice Chancellor of HNLU who observed in his opening remarks, “trial lawyers serve as advocates for their clients, giving voice to those who may otherwise be unheard. Through their advocacy, they ensure that their client’s rights are protected and that their case is presented in the most compelling manner possible.
This advocacy is not limited to the courtroom; it also extends to negotiation and mediation settings, where trial lawyers work to resolve disputes before they escalate to a trial.”
Dr. Deepak Srivastava, Dean, UG Studies delivered the Welcome Address and Dr. Vipan Kumar, Registrar (I/c) delivered the Vote of Thanks. The programme was seamlessly anchored by Ms. Garima Panwar, Assistant Professor.
The Distinguished Lecture was conducted as a part of the HNLU Distinguished Jurist Professor Programme (H-DJP) which was launched in October last year with the objective of connecting legal luminaries from diverse spheres—comprising the Bench, Bar, and Academia – with HNLU.
The programme was live streamed on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WxdCGRJFKE) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/hnluofficial/) on the official channel of HNLU.