Ashok Desai

The Supreme Court’s five-judge Constitution bench judgment of 13 July, quashing president’s rule in Arunachal Pradesh, was a massive judgment in every way, and not just because it set off a series of dramatic events loaded with suspense.

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!