'Shatter More Glass Ceilings, Cross More Boundaries, Keep Reinventing Yourself. That Is the Mantra We Need to Carry Forward': Justice Hima Kohli [Video]

Speaking at her felicitation ceremony organised by Women in Law & Litigation, Supreme Court Judge Justice Hima Kohli on Tuesday stated that to make a mark in legal profession, women need to start now, give it their best shot and keep reinventing themselves.

"Time will never be right for a woman to make a mark in legal profession. It is Now. Here. Live in the present. Start with smallest case. Give it your best shot. Work with whatever facilities you may have. If you don't have an office doesn't matter. I started with a dickey of my car. You could have just a locker in your Court," Justice Kohli said.

"Shatter more glass ceilings, cross more boundaries, keep reinventing yourself. That is the mantra we need to carry forward," Justice Kohli added.

Justice Kohli added that women lawyers should not look for better opportunities and opportunities will come as they chart their way in the profession.

Talking about the journey of a Judge, Justice Kohli said, "It is the existence of goldfish in a glass bowl for a judge as you're being watched. If you are a Judge inside Court, You're a judge outside Court too. You have to make sure the aura and dignity of the profession is maintained. There are others watching you carefully and you symbolize a whole system."

Talking about women in the legal profession, Justice Kohli said that, "I'm sure all of us at some occasion or other found a vaccum which a colleague has been able to fill up, that sense of belonging to Bar and Bench is extremely imperative to give comfort to women in a profession like this. There's no old boys group that keep women bonded, there's no networking that mostly work for women. They stand alone."

Sharing an anecdote, Justice Kohli said, "I received encouragement from Justice MK Sharma. On my first day on the Bench, when my entire family was present, I'd keep putting him questions fourth time he said your family is at the back and watching you why don't you ask yourself. Its a full circle. I've been sitting with CJI for few months & keep badgering him with questions what about this and what about that, and he says Hima why don't you ask yourself."

"As a lawyer i was told when you face the judge, you are only facing one person and everyone behind you is like a block of wood. Don't me embarrassed, we all make mistakes even Judges, and that's why there are appellate courts. There is somebody to correct us as long as you learn from each lesson and be better the next time," Justice Kohli said.

Justice Kohli added that lawyers should keep the aggression in Court and not carry it home, and for Judges it is important to keep the mantle outside the gate of your house.

Addressing the audience consisting of Supreme Court and High Court women Judges and Senior Advocates and Advocates, Justice Kohli added that, " Another white that applies to us is- Each time woman stands for herself without knowing it she stands for all women.I would say those of us who've made it even a little dint in our profession have made it for all of us."

Talking about WILL( Women in Law & Litigation) Justice Hima Kohli who is also the founding patron of WILL said that, "WILL has been close to my heart. It started from round table at a dinner. We thought there'd be so many things we'd like to share and inspire other women in litigation to join the profession."

"That's why the name Women in Law and Litigation. Its a different matter that it also stands for 'Will' that you will and we will collectively carry forward the onerous task of attracting more women to this profession, making them more comfortable, mentoring them, provide them assistance that we hadn't received or we did received," Justice Kohli added