The worst scam in the Indian legal industry is the distribution of awards to lawyers, including the ludicrous “30 under 30.” These awards are sponsored by law firms that pay money for nominations. Typically, the awardees come from tier 1 law firms. The selection standards and panel are opaque; no one knows how the selections are made. If you are a lawyer from a tier 1 law firm and you have paid the money, you are likely to receive an award. As a conscientious lawyer, one should never accept such an award. It’s understandable that a Bollywood star might accept an award after paying for it, even though it holds no real value and does not truly represent excellence. However, lawyers should hold themselves to higher standards. You have the right to ask questions and seek justifications. If you are nominated as a “30 under 30” lawyer, consider whether lawyers from smaller firms or independent practitioners might have been overlooked because they couldn’t afford the nomination fee. Knowing that these awards are essentially bought, a principled lawyer should refuse to accept them,