Read, Read, & Keep On Reading

Summary: This post explains what else may be done to improve communication as well as prepare oneself for challenges in the legal world.

My father, VKS Chaudhary, Sr Advocate, continued his passion of reading till the end of his life.

ADVICE TO LAW ASPIRANTS

Introduction & Most Important Skill।। Improve Your Language।। Being Short and Concise: Crux of Good Communication।। Clear Grasp of the Subject: Necessary for Communication।। Feynman’s Technique।। Read, Read, & Keep On Reading।। ।। ।। ।। ।।

इस चिट्ठी को हिन्दी में यहां पढ़ा जा सकता है।

Reading good books is a very good idea. It not only improves your general awareness but also improves the language. Apart from good books, reading about law is essential: it prepares you for challenges to be faced in the legal world. 

Read - Law Reports

Read at least one Supreme Court and one High Court reports word by word. Also read foreign judgements and journals. Many are frely available online. This will train you what judges think. 

As a lawyer, I read (word by word and page to page): 

• AIR Supreme Court;
• Initially Allahabad Law Journal and then Allahabad Weekly Cases;
• All England Reports; and 
• Lawyers’ Edition (US SC reports). 

Half of the legal battle is won by just knowing how the mind of a judge works.

I also tried to read foreign journals whenever I got chance to read them from the judges’ library. 

Read - Legal History

Have a fair knowledge of how law has evolved. When considering any enactment or amendments, read the Law commission report behind them. 

MC Seetalvad’s  Hamlyn Law Lecture titled ‘The Common Law in India’ is a good book to begin with: freely available online.

Roses in December by MC Chagla

Let me illustrate my point, with an incident MC Chagla J. in his well-written   autobiography titled ‘Roses in December’.  

In 1941, a shy young lawyer requested  Chagla J. a letter permitting him to use the university library. Chagla J. being a member of the Bombay University syndicate could do so. He happily obliged and was happier to note that the young lawyer did not merely read law but was interested in other subjects like literature and history. 

That young lawyer was Nani Palkhivala, one of India’s greatest legal minds. His example shows the value of wide reading.

Sometime ago, I wrote a series titled 'Command Over Language Is an Asset' about another great lawyer Kanhaiya Lal Misra. The last post is titled is 'Well Read Person - Best Prepared for Law'. It also emphasises same point. This post provides links to other posts of that series as well.

Conclusion: Reading good books, law reports and journals, as well as legal history is important.

In the next post, we will talk about 'Internships, Interactions, and Networking'. 

In my Allahabad office before being elevated

#AdviceLawAspirants #AdviceLawStudents #Advice #SelfImprovement