LiveLaw Turns 10 : A Decade In Revolutionary Legal Reporting

Parents will feel a sense of thrilling excitement when they see their child making accomplishments surpassing their humble expectations. A similar sentiment pervades our minds when we look at the growth which LiveLaw had over the last ten years. 

LiveLaw took its birth on June 13, 2013, exactly ten years ago. We started off as a small website publishing reports simplifying complex judgments. Gradually, we ventured into reporting of court hearings in the Supreme Court. Then we stepped up and started real-time reporting in the form of live-tweets and live-updates.  Step by step, we spread our wings and started reporting hearings and judgments from High Courts and various tribunals.

Now, LiveLaw has become indispensable for anyone who wants to know about courts and law. It gives us immense satisfaction that we have been able to earn the trust of millions of readers, who rely on us for news about law and courts. We are the mostly read legal news portal and our readers include judges, lawyers, law students, judiciary aspirants, civil service exam candidates, journalists and countless lay persons. We have built a reputation as the fastest and the most accurate legal reporte. The notable aspect is that our growth has been totally 'organic', facilitated by mouth-to-mouth publicity and not buoyed by professional marketing and promotions.

We have also been striving to act as a voice of reason all this while, and have never shied away from offering constructive criticism of the judiciary, with the objective of enhancing accountability and transparency of institutions within the constitutional framework.

In 2017, we achieved a major milestone by starting LiveLaw Hindi, which was inaugurated by veteran lawyer Senior Advocate Ram Jethmalani. Over the years, we have made several value additions like LiveLaw Academy & Legal Mentorship Program, our own citation system and headnotes for court judgments, video reports and explainers.

In 2020, we switched to the subscription model, to ensure self-sustenance. A truly independent and effective media is possible only if its cost is met by the readers who seek quality reporting and unbiased news. It must be said that the responses to our subscription model have been overwhelmingly positive.

Also Read - How two websites have transformed the way India is reading about courts – and understanding the law

Certain instances of judges referring to LiveLaw reports in open court

Testimonials

Saurabh Kirpal, Senior Advocate : In these days of non-stop unfiltered information, livelaw has become an important voice which exercises editorial discretion and commentary judiciously to make the toughest content accessible to the lay public. When the marriage equality hearing was being live-streamed, livelaw gave constant coverage on Twitter. This was useful for the general audience which might not have been able to see the live streaming. More importantly, it faithfully conveyed the proceedings in an impartial manner so that a reader could come back to the content and read it in her own time. For practitioners who were arguing other matters in courts, it was the only way they could keep up with what was happening during the hearing.

Anjana Prakash, Senior Advocate and former judge, Patna HC : I was introduced to Livelaw when I shifted to Delhi in 2016 and have been an ardent follower of the legal news broadcast. I used to be disappointed with the discussion on legal issues by those who were not exposed to the intricacies of law so Livelaw and their reporters have filled the important gap in this field. Most importantly one can trust the reports as unbiased ,without seasoning and truthful reproduction of facts which is so rare in these days of sensationalism. And a word of appreciation for the excellent dissection on points of law by Manu Sebastian.His articles serve as pieces of education. Thanks a lot to the team of Livelaw. Keep it up.

Dama Seshadri Naidu, Senior Advocate and former judge of AP, Kerala & Bombay High Courts : Many congratulations. A decade ago a ripple rose In a corner of Kerala; Soon it’s become a wave;A wave of legal awareness; Across India and beyond; You’ve brought law into lives; The lives of laymen to lawyers; All through your journey, You’ve remained true and unbiased, Straight and steadfast, And principled, above all. Keep going … for ever

R Basant, Senior Advocate, former judge of Kerala High Court : An innovative idea that was perceived a decade back ....Live Law, has today become an indispensable tool in the hands of Law India. Prompt, accurate and credible always, Live Law helps and aids the professional in this country in the pursuit of his constitutional obligation... to strive for excellence. Kudos to team Live Law. May the next year be more spectacular and eventful

Rebecca John, Senior Advocate : Livelaw is my go to portal for all legal news , commentaries and interviews. You have managed to bring every citizen into the courtroom and this promotes institutional accountability and transparency. As you celebrate your 10 year anniversary, I can’t wait to see how Livelaw expands to include remote corners of the country in its continuing live law coverage of court proceedings.

Pradeep Rai, Senior Advocate & Former Vice President, Supreme Court Bar Association : Live Law has given a new dimension to legal journalism. It has garnered appreciation from all sections of the legal fraternity including students. The routine of many of us starts with Live Law and ends with it. I congratulate Live Law for glorious 10 years which was achieved by dedication, hard work and accuracy. I wish the entire team to achieve new heights and become an established global name as it has established in India . We are proud of you all.

Kallol Bose, Senior Advocate, Calcutta High Court : LiveLaw's contribution is unthinkable to the legal world. The work done by them is very relevant and useful to judges, law scholars and advocates alike. The articles published by LiveLaw are relevant, thought provoking and meets the need of the hour. The presentation and format are also very cerebral and attractive. I wish every success for this organisation and expect and trust that it will continue to render meaningful legal assistance to the legal world.

Vikram Huilgol, Senior Advocate : On the happy occasion of live law’s 10th anniversary, I would like to congratulate the entire team for their stellar service to the field of legal reporting. The last decade has seen remarkable progress in legal reporting and live law has been at the forefront of this trend. Lawyers, judges, and even the common man rely on live law’s excellent and timely reporting for updates from courts across the country. What makes live law stand out is the accuracy of their reporting, sans any sensationalism. This was exemplified by the excellent reporting during the covid 19 crisis, when the Karnataka high court was issuing various directions to the state. Live law’s accurate reporting ensured that the entire country was aware of the exemplary work that was being done by the Karnataka high court, even when the nation was under a complete lockdown. I, once again, congratulate and thank the entire live law team for their service over the last decade and convey my best wishes for the decades to come.

Aditya Sondhi, Senior Advocate : Live Law has filled a void in legal journalism by providing prompt and accurate reports on cases from across the country. This his improved the knowledge bank for lawyers and law students, and also provided fitting recognition to lesser-known counsel, who work hard but sans publicity mongering. I wish Live Law well on its tenth anniversary and hope to see it contribute more substantially in the years to come.

Mihir Desai, Senior Advocate : One of the most significant aspects of Live Law is its prompt and accurate live reporting. You can follow important arguments even if you are busy in other courts. Additionally, their articles are written by trained legal professionals which is reflected in their reports. The blogs and interviews are excellent. In a number of ways it has made what is happening in courts accessible to everybody in readable and prompt manner.

Justice V Ramkumar, former judge, Kerala High Court : Delighted to note that LiveLaw has completed its decennium. At a time when I used to feel that I was bigger, I contributed articles to LiveLaw on their request. But now, it is the other way round. LiveLaw has undoubtedly become mightier, taller and bigger than the best of jurists. LiveLaw is now the last word on anything connected with law and justice. As the name itself suggests, LiveLaw is indeed lively and immortal. May it grow to global dimensions.

Bharat Chugh, Former Civil Judge, Delhi Judicial Services: Livelaw has done a great job in making law understandable and accessible. It has brought down access and entry barriers, and made law a little less tedious and obscure, not just for the layperson but also law students and young lawyers. The reportage not only educates people on their rights and legal remedies but also serve to mentor young lawyers/students on court-craft, the way law plays out in the court-rooms and other important skills that - unfortunately - are sometimes missing in law schools.

Vikram Raghavan, Lead Counsel at World Bank : LiveLaw is an invaluable source of ideas, stories, and analysis about our constitution and legal system for lawyers, litigants, and citizens.

Santosh Mathew. Advocate,Kerala High Court : Kerala has been known for contributing doyens to the fourth Estate. LiveLaw started in a very humble way and through sheer hard work and professionalism, in the last ten years it has revolutionised legal reporting and played a very pivotal role in making the common man 'legally aware', so to speak - both of his rights and what is happening in various Courts in the Country. Very happy and proud to have been a friend to LiveLaw right from its infancy and I wish Team LiveLaw the very best in the years to come.

Apar Gupta, Lawyer & Founder and Executive Director, Internet Freedom Foundation : If I look back a decade to the media ecology around court reporting it was primarily clustered within a national newspaper. Here there existed some digital media upstarts but their focus was primarily towards firms and law schools. Nature hates a vaccum and it is here that LiveLaw has distinguished itself. It has incrementally built a solid reputation for live and accurate reporting adopting innovations such as tweeting from court proceedings. I would like to thank the founding team, all it’s reporters and the support staff for making the courts more transparent not only for lawyers but millions of Indians.

Anurag Bhaskar, Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School : Live Law transformed the discussion around courts and the legal profession. It converted the legal discourse into a lively and relatable phenomenon and brought courtroom exchanges to the daily conversations of ordinary citizens. Live Law also provided a platform for several law students to express their opinions. People eagerly wait for daily legal updates from Live Law. Congratulations to the Live Law team on their 10th anniversary.

Shadan Farasat, Advocate on Record, Supreme Court : Live Law is the best thing that has happened to legal reporting in India. It’s nuanced, accurate and real time reporting, makes it the go to legal news source for legal practitioners and public alike.

V. K. Unni, Professor, IIM Calcutta : My heartiest congratulations to the entire team of Live Law on their very important milestone of completing 10 glorious years. Over the years, Live Law has taken a very worthy place in the information space of India's legal landscape, having established itself as an authoritative source of information which is timely, reliable and objective. Undoubtedly it is India's most comprehensive online legal repository for unbiased news, thought provoking articles and insightful interviews which immensely benefits both lawyers and non-lawyers.

Jayant Bhatt, Advocate : LiveLaw has been doing a commendable job both in terms of legal reporting as well as educating the masses by taking law news on a daily basis. Can’t emphasise the importance of legal empowerment enough and I do wish the entire team the very best for their future endeavours. Keep up the good work!

Vakasha Sachdev, legal journalist : Livelaw has helped revolutionize legal journalism in India. By making minute details of courtroom arguments available to all, rather than cherry-picked quotes, Livelaw's reporting has allowed even those not versed with court proceedings to know what is happening in an institution that is so crucial to our democracy. With our courts failing to make transcripts of hearings available till now, LL was able to play an essential role in giving the Indian people the record of what was happening in the most important cases of the day, and it has been a staggering achievement to do this across so many courts. The access it has granted to what was previously highly privileged and compartmentalized information has made it possible to better evaluate and critique what is happening in our courts. It was an invaluable resource to me as a legal journalist, and continues to be an easy way to keep track of happenings even if one cannot take the time out to follow a hearing. It has also been heartening to see that LL continues to do it's work without concern for fear or favour. Its reporting is clear and objective with no omissions to avoid embarassment to judges or lawyers or parties, while its comment and analysis is willing to call a spade a spade and not fall into the trap of bothsideism when illegal and unconscionable acts are committed. I can't wait to see what it will do in the next decade, under the capable stewardship of MA Rashid and Manu Sebastian.

R. H. A. Sikander, Advocate on Record, Supreme Court of India : Live Law has emerged as a pioneer for up to date legal research and real time legal news and updates from all courts. Live Law is the first portal to report judgments with headnotes and citation these days. With its extensive, in-depth and accurate coverage of court proceedings and all legal developments, Live Law has made courts accessible to all. From judgments, orders, pleadings to court room exchanges and live updates of hearings, Live Law is a one stop portal for finding all. It won’t be an exaggeration to say that the most followed things by the lawyers are the Display Boards and Live Law!

Motty John, Chief Legal Officer and Head of Board Affairs, Pnb Metlife India Insurance company Ltd : Congratulations “Live Law” on completion of a decade’s successful journey , transforming and popularising the Indian legal journalism into the digital space .You made the accurate informations , judgements and news quickly available and easily accessible to laymen and legal fraternity alike ,24x7x365. Keep enlightening and keep shining . All the best team Live Law.

Kalyan Bandhyopadhyay, Senior Advocate, Calcutta HC and MP : I am very fond of LiveLaw. Every day I am getting the latest information or law laid down by the all the courts in India, especially the important questions. I enrich my knowledge by reading the articles every day. It is one of the very important media outlets so far as the lawyers all over India are concerned. Even in the Munsiff court the lawyer who has a matter in the morning can stay updated about another matter in the evening due to the live updates. I am very fond of LiveLaw. Every day it is enriching me and others of law in respect of the latest laws.

Advocate Areeb Uddin Ahmed, New Delhi : Legal Journalism has left behind a lot of impact across the Legal Field. Livelaw has brought some amount of transparency within the legal field. I hope, in the upcoming years, it'll grow more and the gap between the courts & people at large will be filled with transparency and accountability. Kudos to all the reporters, who make it look very easy, but on the other side of the cart, I personally know how much effort is required. All the best to the team!

Tariq Khan, Registrar, International Arbitration & Mediation Centre (IAMC) Hyderabad : I would like to acknowledge the unwavering commitment and the impact LiveLaw has made in the Indian Legal Landscape. I congratulate the whole team of LiveLaw on completing a trailblazing decade and wish many more decades of insightful legal reporting. I have no doubt that LiveLaw will continue to enlighten us all and enrich the legal landscape with its exceptional reporting.

Important research tool for competitive exams

LiveLaw is also the go-to place for thousands of candidates appearing for competitive exams like CLAT, judicial service examinations and UPSC exams.

Appeal to our readers

We thank our critics, readers, well-wishers and supporters, especially Independent and Public Spirited Media Foundation (IPSMF) & Azim Premji Philanthropic Initiatives, who have made our journey so far successful.

This is not to say that our journey has not been without struggles and mistakes. But whenever we faltered, there were a lot of well-wishers, who acted as a corrective force and offered to lift us up. We are thankful to the constructive criticisms we have received, which enable LiveLaw to stay the course.

We assure our readers that LiveLaw will continue its unflinching commitment towards fostering the ideals of accountability, transparency and independence of judiciary, which has earned us the goodwill of several readers including judges, advocates and reputed academicians. We are also conscious of our role as a conscientious critic of the system - that of showing mirror to power when there are shortfalls - and will continue our journey, rooted in the ideals of constitutional morality.

On a parting note, we make an appeal to all our dear readers to support us through subscriptions, so that we can continue to provide you quality content, maintaining our independence.

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