Most junior lawyers in HC unhappy over working conditions

The study,using feedback from junior lawyers,their seniors and also judges,was specifically meant to assess the working conditions of junior lawyers.

Apparently,half of the junior lawyers are dissatisfied with their working conditions.

An instance is of one of the respondents,Sunil Kotia,a young lawyer at the High Court. A gold medallist at Bhavnagar University’s Law Department three years ago,he lived on the Rs 3,000 per month that he received as stipend in Ahmedabad. But with his family in Bhavnagar,he struggled to manage his food,lodging,transportation and other needs.

Kanan Dhru of RFGI said that the meagre stipends litigation lawyers receive during their apprenticeship,coupled with the absence of a legislation concerning this,is one of the reasons why many graduates from the country’s best colleges join corporate firms or work abroad.

The Advocate Act,1961,the main legislation concerning advocates in the country,makes no mention of apprenticeship.

Several junior lawyers acknowledged that corporate groups pay much more. Pratik Thakar,who studied at ILS Law College,Pune receives a monthly stipend of Rs 5,500 from the litigation firm he currently apprentices under,while his former classmate earns Rs 1.3 lakh per month in a corporate law firm in Mumbai.

But many senior lawyers believe the initial low pay is part of the profession. They also believe that law colleges should restructure their curriculum to accommodate more time for internships and hands-on experience. They say most law schools structure their internships to coincide with their seasonal vacations.

Dharmistha Raval,an advocate and sister of late Kirit Raval,founder of the Gujarat National Law University,said: “It’s like learning how to drive. If you come for a week,take a month off and come back for a week again,you won’t learn anything.”

Raval believes that slowly working one’s way up is the norm for any profession,including law.

“You have to remain in the queue for a few years,” she said.

But not everyone share the same sentiment. Johnsey Macwan,who graduated from Gujarat Law Society,Ahmedabad,in 2006,said he is already thinking of leaving the profession. “I’m not satisfied with the pay,” he said,though he has no idea what other profession he should take up.