•  •  Dark Mode

Your Interests & Preferences

I am a...

law firm lawyer
in-house company lawyer
litigation lawyer
law student
aspiring student
other

Website Look & Feel

 •  •  Dark Mode
Blog Layout

Save preferences

TOI doesn't like law firms: top 10 lawyers list '09

Either the Times of India thinks that only advocates are lawyers or that law firm lawyers are just not so very top.

While I certainly would not dare disagree with the calibre and legal genius of each of these individuals, could not at least one law firmite have made it to the list?

Here's TOI's full list of top 10 lawyers, along with our nutshell summary of the paper's often brilliant commentary on each:
  1. Fali Nariman
    The "wise man of the Bar" with a stature that "allows him to be blunt in court".
  2. Soli J Sorabjee
    Former glorious AG, fierce free speech and HR advocate, "mad 'bawa' (Parsi) jokes", successful daughter.
  3. Harish Salve
    The "legal robot" and all-round legal talent.
  4. K. Parasaran
    "Articulate" and "ethically driven" "man for all seasons".
  5. Ram Jethmalani
    Passionate about crimes with "rapier-sharp wit", proving crime does pay.
  6. Abhishek Manu Singhvi
    "Buddha of the Bar", youngest additional solicitor general ever and happy enabler of all tricolor-wavers.
  7. Mukul Rohatgi
    Voluble "king" of Delhi HC and Anil's gas dispute trusted counsel.
  8. K.K. Venugopal
    "Constitutional crorepati", Emergency counterweight and collector - but where's the grey hair?
  9. Rohinton F Nariman
    Cheerful corporate stalwart, fast riser to senior counsel, Fali's son.
  10. Ashok Desai
    Reclusive former AG, softly-spoken but packing a serious punch and control.
Ok, so Zia Mody did make it the the list as a footnote but really, is it not time those doing great work in law firms are properly recognised in the public domain?

Possible explanations:

  • court-room work is simply more glamorous than the desk-bound transactional variety,
  • the ones on the list really are a league apart that law firmites have not yet been able to match, or
  • the TOI did not read the Lawyers Collective judgment that "legal practice" includes desk-work.
What's your view?

For Times of India's full list click here - it's a very entertaining read that brings out many a wonderful personality!

Click to show 13 comments
at your own risk
(alt+c)
By reading the comments you agree that they are the (often anonymous) personal views and opinions of readers, which may be biased and unreliable, and for which Legally India therefore has no liability. If you believe a comment is inappropriate, please click 'Report to LI' below the comment and we will review it as soon as practicable.