Zero women in 2012 Bombay senior counsel promo round of 8 (again)

Wednesday, 19 September 2012 By Legally India Bar, Bench & Litigation

Bombay HC: Is it a man's world?
Bombay HC: Is it a man's world?
Eight male advocates have been designated as senior counsel in the Bombay high court, with six being based in Mumbai, one in Aurangabad and one in Nagpur.

The elevations will take effect from 31 August 2012, having been notified on 14 September 2012 on the Bombay high court’s website.

The new senior advocates are:

  • Ramesh N Dhorde (from Aurangabad)
  • Vimal K Gupta (Mumbai)
  • Vineet B Naik (Mumbai)
  • Chandrashekhar S Kaptan (Nagpur)
  • Prashant Subhash Pratap (Mumbai)
  • Peshotan Nadir Modi (Mumbai)
  • Rajiv L Patil (Mumbai)
  • Anil C Singh (Mumbai)

Mirroring last year, when a record 15 senior counsel were designated in Mumbai in September 2011, not a single female lawyer received the nod this year.

Legally India research revealed in early 2011 that in 20 years only six women became senior counsel in the Delhi and Mumbai high courts – a total of three women senior counsel out of 81 in total.

Taking into account the lack of any female lawyers’ promotions in the last two years, the male to female senior counsel designation ratio since 1991 now stands at three women out of 104 promotions - less than 3 per cent.

However, the total number of promotions in Mumbai this year and last year has been considerably above the 20-year average of less than five senior counsel per year.

Senior counsel elevations are decided by a collegium of judges in a closed-door procedure.

The Society of Women Lawyers (SOWL) in a conference earlier this year discussed how many workplaces were structured in ways that hurt female lawyers’ careers.

senior counselBombay High Courtwomen

Comments

Kishen 19 Sept 2012, 23:42
+4 -0
Why this desperation to promote women? Seems like any semi-literate female can become Senior counsel, so desperate is everyone to show that women can "break the glass ceiling". This mirrors law firms where AMSS showed the way earlier this year that having the right sex chromosomes is a perfectly acceptable substitute to ability. Well,this is India, so keep it up guys!
Wink 20 Sept 2012, 06:35
+1 -0
Maybe women are less desirable when they become Seniors, unlike men who get power and money leading to the inevitable young honeys.
Global Phenomenon 20 Sept 2012, 11:33
+1 -0
This hue and cry about lack of women at the top in the legal profession is seen all over the world. Almost every leading law firm in the US or the UK have less than 15% female partners.

Maybe law is a male dominated profession (I have my doubts as to whether that is the reason behind less female partners). Maybe women can't always show the level of commitment in terms of facetime or in terms of socialising with clients/ the fraternity (due to other restraints and responsibilities they face). Who knows. But there are many female practitioners and almost 40-50% of a class in many lawschools is female. If women are not seen at the helm, it cannot be because the profession is a boys' club. Much ado over nothing really. There are many excellent female lawyers at the top of the profession.
BLS 20 Sept 2012, 17:45
+0 -0
Well, a visit to the Bombay HC would show that hardly any (smart) women take to the Bar. How do you expect women to become Senior then?
As far as designating Seniors is concerned, the Bombay HC has been dangerously liberal in the past 2 years. For example, Mr. Naik here, will all due respect to his capability and calibre, is not even 40. He graduated from GLC in 1995. He and many others like him are excellent counsel, no doubt, but isn't it a little too early to designate?
DBS 20 Sept 2012, 19:06
+1 -0
I so agree with you. There are a few Senior Counsel who look terribly young & dont have that charisma which is required in a Senior Counsel. I asked a few lawyers sitting around as to who that young Senior Counsel was & nobody knew his name & the Judge also didn't give him much 'bhaav' !!
Btw, is this Mr Naik from Naik,Naik & Co. ??

Also, does anybody know who was the youngest to be designated as Senior Counsel in Bombay HC??
BLS 21 Sept 2012, 06:36
+0 -0
Ameet Naik is the one heading Naik and Naik. Vineet Naik is his elder brother. Youngest at Bom HC would probably be D.Y. Chandrachud / Shyam Divan @38.
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