Depends. People usually say 3-7 years is the gestation period, after which you go independent. There are various examples. Nani Palkhivala became a giant within 2 years of his practice, while MC Chagla took more than 10 years to even set up his own independent practice. G. Banerji, the well known arbitration lawyer, as far as I have heard, did not join a senior ever. R. Nariman, as far as I have heard, took about 3 years. Same with H. Salve and another famous SC senior. Somnath Chatterjee took about 3-4 years to become independent. Then you have Anindya Mitra, a legend in the Calcutta Bar, about 3 years. Ditto with S.K. Kapur, another legend of the Calcutta Bar. An AOR I know, took 7 years to go independent, though you must take into account these 7 years included the COVID period as well. Another lawyer with 5 years' experience in Calcutta has gone independent in 3-4 years. Another brilliant junior (actually two) of a renowned young recently designated Senior Advocate in NCLAT is 11 years into practice, and is just going independent. A few other lawyers from Bombay and Calcutta HC whom I have worked with, all excellent lawyers, recently designated and joined the bar in the early 2000s, took no more than 6 years (least was 4 years) to go independent.

Even 70 years into practice will not be enough to learn all court crafts. When you go independent, you are basically someone who has been given a driver's license and trusted enough by their parents to drive. You may/may not know how to navigate the roads and drive properly. You become better with age, like wine. But you'll learn the basic court crafts, allowing you to be independent (and in the more real sense, you don't need your senior to get clients {and not money, since client/work gets you money}, and hence, you get the confidence that you can go independent)

Is that so? Compare the earningsof the top litigation lawyers andtop law firm partners. Top litigation lawyers earn anywhere between 100-600cr a year. Law firm.partners? No one takes away even 100 cr. Thats the same for even mid level and low level top litigaion lawyers v. Law fir partners. Now who is earning peanuts throughout their life? In litigation, you age like wine and keep charging more as you age. Something you can't do in law firms unless your name is on the wall. If your name is not on the wall, regardless of whether you are a partner, you'll still be an employee

bro pqe 6 yrs i was in the same boat , i used to say the same but as i went independent i was bleeding my savings and as i got married i have to maintain a certain lifestyle ( basic i am mentioning here)

but later it did't worked ou for me, i joined t2 later switched to t1 my life is a bit hellish but yeah i am earning good all my friend who started going indeoendent now looking a way out for a firm life

so whatever you can say in the end i am buying good things eating healthy and now going on my very first internation trip with my family

so yeah yeah clerk.........numb mind..............whatevery i am happy with my decision

I think in three years you can learn enough court craft that you wouldn't actively harm your client. But that question is slightly different from when you should begin independent practice. If you're a first-generation lawyer and you need a stable income to run your affairs, I would say it makes sense to go independent when your client base is enough to sustain you. It takes different people different amounts of time to get to that point. It also depends on your practice area because some areas are not as lucrative as others. So if you're starting out, my advice would be to keep a track of your expenses and income, and then once you think you aren't being able to give enough time to your own work because you're assisting your senior, then make the plunge. Best of luck.

I made the most mistake of going independent too soon. It took me several years to build back a stable income because no firm/company wants to touch an independent counsel. So tread carefully.

Also, do not follow examples. Someone mentioned Gourab Banerjee, well his father was Attorney General and was extremely well connected, so he need not have joined anyone's chambers.

Same with Kapil Sibal, his father Advocate General for Punjab and was extremely well connected.

A chamber gives you an identity in court, so it is important. I know some people who have done well independently immediately after graduation but they are the exception rather than the rule and you do not know what connections they have.