'Bar Is The Mother Of Legal Profession' : Justice JK Maheshwari In Farewell Speech

Supreme Court judge Justice JK Maheshwari on Friday urged lawyers to work hard, remain dedicated and keep advancing access to justice.

“Let your mindset be the compass that points you towards one shared goal all of us have - advancing access to justice. Work hard, keep your dedication stronger and know that the law is always on the right side. Even if one particular judgment is not.”

Justice Maheshwari reflected on the role of advocates and the responsibilities of judges during a farewell function organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association for him and Justice Pankaj Mithal.

Justice Maheshwari highlighted that judges depend upon the assistance of lawyers and praised the advocates. “We judges are like the solitary umpires on a cricket pitch, but you are the players who make the game beautiful. Without your brilliant argument and thorough research coupled with occasional dramatic and theatrical submissions, the court would be a lifeless place”, he remarked.

Justice Maheshwari also spoke about the different responsibilities carried by advocates and judges. While lawyers present the case of a particular side, judges must search for a fair resolution, he highlighted. “Agar hum dekhen toh physically podium and dash ke beech sirf kuchh katmon ka fasla hota hai lekin soch aur jimmedari k perspective se vah ek doosra samundar lagta hai”, he said.

Reflecting on judicial decision-making, Justice Maheshwari noted that the responsibility of a judge extends beyond hearing arguments and delivering orders, and stressed that adjudication requires both legal reasoning and human sensitivity. “The weight of this judicial pen is heavier than any sword in history,” he remarked.

He said that addressing challenges in justice system depends largely on the mindset with which institutions and individuals approach them. “There is no death of problems around us. How we deal with the and what we do to improve the situation depends more often than not on one thing, our mindset”, he said.

Justice Maheshwari highlighted the role of the Bar in shaping the legal profession. Describing it as the mother of the legal profession, he noted young advocates learn the craft of law, advocacy and professional values through the Bar.

“For the members of the bar, if we really think about it, the bar is truly the mother of the legal profession. A young advocate enters the court much like child, eager, inexperienced, and ready to learn. It is the bar that holds their hand, teaching them the craft of love and the ways. To quote, even when an advocate is elevated to the bench, they continue to be guided by the values of the intellect instilled by this mother institution. Finally, upon retirement, the journey comes full circle. They return to the bar not as a former judge, but as a family coming home”, he said.

Justice Maheshwari also praised the camaraderie within the legal profession, observing that lawyers who fiercely oppose each other in court often maintain cordial relationships outside it.

Justice Maheshwari was born on June 29, 1961, in Joura, Morena district of Madhya Pradesh. Enrolled as an advocate in 1985, he practised in civil, criminal, constitutional, service and tax matters and was elected to the Madhya Pradesh State Bar Council. He was appointed an Additional Judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on November 25, 2005, became a permanent judge in 2008, and later served as the first Chief Justice of the newly established Andhra Pradesh High Court.

After serving as Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court, he was elevated to the Supreme Court on August 31, 2021. Justice Maheshwari is due to retire on June 28, 2026.