Legal Profession Is One For Marathon Runners: Justice Devan Ramachandran
While speaking at the Freshers' Induction Program 2026 organised by the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Justice Devan Ramachandran said that the legal profession was one for marathon runners and not for short runners.
“I'll tell you one thing. There are no shortcuts in this profession. Any shortcut that you think about will not last. This profession is one for marathon runners. It is not for the short runners. This profession gives you the opportunity to run long, to prepare yourself, to be guided by the failures that you've had,” the judge said.
The judge also added that the litigation profession involves life in its purest and rawest form, as person comes to a lawyer with their problem, hoping to get a solution for it.
“Litigation is not something that is commercially durable. Litigation is life in its purest form. In the rawest perspective that we see. Nobody will walk into a lawyer's office or seek legal advice for the fun of it. They will be forced to come because they have a problem,” the judge said.
The judge also pointed out that what makes one a good lawyer was the consistent quest to achieve expertise. The judge added that one's worth in the profession stems from the manner in which people perceive him/her and thus it was important to keep adding worth to oneself.
“Quest of education, be that legal education or any other education, is to achieve expertise and excellence. If every one of us is excellent, India becomes excellent. In legal profession, it is far more requisite also. In the profession, your worth stems from the manner in which people see you. It is your worth that takes you forward and, in that context, I always say the concept of adding value to yourself. Please don't be under the impression that if you take a degree, you will get success. It is not. it is in the manner in which you grow. The manner in which you add value to yourself every possible minute of your life. It is the consistent quest for improvement that makes a lawyer a good lawyer,” the judge said.
The judge was addressing the fresh batch of law students in the VIT School of Law at an event held in Chennai.
The event was also attended by Ms Sarah Sunny, the first deaf lawyer in India, and Ms Maygha Viswanat, Senior Legal Counsel at XFLOW Payments India Pvt Ltd.
Dr T Thyagarajan, Pro-Vice Chancellor of VIT Chennai, Dr Nithya Darsini PS, Dean Academics and Dr Rabbiraj C, Dean of VIT School of Law, also spoke at the ceremony.
The event can be viewed here.