Synopsis
On March 24, the Kerala High Court suggested implementing mandatory mentorship for young lawyers during their first five years of practice to improve their professional standards and experience.Key Takeaways
- Kerala High Court advocates mentorship for junior lawyers.
- Mandatory training sessions proposed for first five years.
- Emphasis on maintaining professional standards.
- Credit points suggested for continued membership.
- Recognizing the gap in practical experience.
Kochi, March 24 (NationPress) The Kerala High Court proposed on Monday that newer members of the Bar should receive compulsory mentorship for a minimum of five years in their legal careers.
The division bench comprising Justices A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and S. Easwaran inquired whether the Kerala High Court Advocates Association (KHCAA) President Yeshwanth Shenoy could facilitate this mentorship for the novice lawyers.
Justice Nambiar remarked: "Could you develop a policy where junior members, to maintain their membership, must mandatorily participate in training sessions? This could be a requirement for preserving the standards of the profession... It would be reasonable to enforce this for the first five years. They should undergo some form of mentoring during this period."
"Organize these training sessions regularly and structure it as a system of earning credits for participation. A junior member should accumulate a defined number of credit points annually for continued membership, or risk losing their status. This initiative aligns with a commendable objective," he added.
The court noted that while junior advocates might have sufficient theoretical knowledge, they often lack practical experience.
KHCAA President Shenoy expressed his concerns as well, highlighting that juniors often do not work alongside a senior for even three months and instead depend on readily available online resources.
Notably, with the onset of the 21st century, numerous private law colleges emerged following the liberalization of the professional education sector, drastically increasing the number of lawyers entering the bar.
As a result of this expansion, the enrollment of lawyers has surged significantly.
