LinkedIn Posts Mostly Exaggerated; Progress In Legal Profession Not Linear : Justice BV Nagarathna To Law Students

Justice B.V. Nagarathna of the Supreme Court cautioned law students against measuring their progress against the constant stream of achievements posted on professional networking platforms like LinkedIn, remarking that the platform often contains exaggeration and can create unrealistic expectations among young professionals.

She reminded that progress in the legal profession is not always linear. If they are engaging in meaningful endeavours today, it may pay off in unexpected ways in the coming times.

She said: "As a law student, it is not uncommon to feel as if you are being consumed by competition, as it feels like your peers are able to accomplish much more than you and seem to be progressing while you are stuck in a rut. With the proliferation of platforms like LinkedIn, where there is mostly exaggeration, it may feel like nothing that you do, can ever measure up to the constant stream of announcements of accomplishments and availing of opportunities by others. In such times, it helps to remind yourself that progress is not linear and that some of the seemingly futile endeavours you engage in today may actually pay off in unexpected ways in the future."

Justice Nagarathna was speaking at the prize distribution ceremony of the 22nd The K.K. Luthra Memorial Moot Court Competition at New Delhi.

She added that great lawyers are not born but formed through exams they pass, moot courts they may participate in and the questions they ask in class. Later in life, when they enter practice, every appearance they make in Court, every transaction they may assist with and every time they encounter a new idea or concept helps them become a great lawyer.

"They are distinguished by their patience, their response to losing a case, their ability to tolerate delays and inconveniences and in their willingness to learn from their seniors and peers, and willingness to help someone junior to them. Many of the legal luminaries that you all look up to with admiration today are distinguished not merely by their skills but a love for the law and a passion to know as much of the law as they possibly can," she added.

Justice Nagaratha also said that her experience has taught her that excellence in advocacy and distinguishing oneself in what may feel like an ocean of legal practitioners, all jostling and vying for the same things, is the ability to see setbacks as temporary. It is also to commit to oneself to practice with sincerity and integrity, and not merely for money.

She also commented that this generation of lawyers is fortunate, as they are entering the legal profession where Artificial Intelligence is freely available. It helps with a lot of clerical tasks that can now be automated. But she advised that it's always better to rely on natural human intelligence.

“Natural human intelligence is always better to rely on than artificial intelligence,” she remarked, emphasising the importance of independently reading judgments and forming one's own legal conclusions.

Justice Nagarathna also encouraged young women students to pursue the legal profession, noting that they may face systemic challenges.

"As young women who are soon to be lawyers, you are likely to encounter distinct challenges in the profession. What does the individual do then, if presented with such systemic challenges? It is important to remember that despite the prevailing narrative that the law as a field is “oversaturated” and that success is hard to come by for anyone except the already established, I would say each and every single one of you has a place in the legal profession and is capable of finding sufficient opportunities. When you are assured of your own belonging and the validity of your ambitions, free of self-doubt and self deprecation, even the systemic challenges become ones that can be worked on, worked around and worked through."

She added that they must volunteer to take on tasks and cases that seem daunting. Most importantly, they must demand to be treated on par with their male colleagues and not settle for differential treatment out of fear of conflict.

She concluded by encouraging young advocates to take up pro-bono and legal aid cases and treat them with the same due diligence and importance as any other case.

"While these cases are not accompanied by famous names or the promise of high remuneration, they possess the ability to completely alter the course of an individual's life and must be treated with the accorded significance. The ability to so directly impact the lives of one's fellow citizen is rarely available and must be given full meaning."

The event was also presided over by Justices Anup Bhambhani, Sanjeev Narula and Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, judges of the Delhi High Court. It also included Senior Advocates Siddhartha Luthra and Geeta Luthra.