ILNU’s 10th Annual Public Lecture: Bar Assn Of India’s President Lalit Bhasin Speaks On ‘Entry Of Foreign Law Firms In India

Institute of Law, Nirma University, organized its 10^th Annual Public Lecture on the theme ‘Entry of Foreign Law Firms in India: Issues and Challenges’. The lecture was delivered by Lalit Bhasin, president, Bar Association of India and Society of Indian Law Firms, Delhi, in the presence of Prof. Purvi Pokhariyal, director & dean, Institute of Law, Nirma University and ILNU faculties and students. Prof. Pokhariyal welcomed Mr Bhasin and shared with him the mission of delivering justice education at ILNU for a better mankind.

Mr Bhasin started the lecture establishing a background on how the British Legal System has been established in India, and how the system of administration of justice has been imposed on India. He discussed a recent judgment given by Bombay High Court, where it was held that practice of law includes litigation, as well as, corporate sector. He also discussed the famous Balaji case, where Madras High Court, allowed foreign lawyers to advise their clients in fly-in and fly-out basis as well as their appearance in arbitration proceedings. At last, he discussed the judgment declared by the Supreme Court, where it said, by upholding Madras High Court judgment, that there should be strict rules and regulations.

One of the main challenges that the foreign law firms will pose eventually is that they would come for purely business activities. But, Indian lawyers should drive it towards law being practiced as part of the profession rather than business and bear the Professional Social Responsibility (PSR) attached to it. PSR is the role that should be provided by the Indian Legal Profession towards catering justice to all sections of the society.

The session ended by the deliverance of vote of thanks by Prof. Tarkesh Molia.