Several bars across the country have fixers who think that to win, you have to know the judge, not law: Mahesh Jethmalani

Senior Advocate and nominated Rajya Sabha member Mahesh Jethmalani on Monday advised lawyers that to be a reformer for social justice, one must file Public Interest Litigation (PILs) rather than 'Publicity' Interest Litigation..Jethmalani emphasised that a lawyer's foremost duty is towards his own conscience. "There has mushroomed in several bars across the country a group of fixers. Who think to win you need to know the judge not law. You must point out errors and critique politely. A lawyer's ultimate duty is to his conscience. If you want to be a reformer or for social justice, file PILs. It is the dream for many lawyers to have several judgments laying down law from their PILs. But don't be into Publicity Interest Litigations. Can do pro bono work, write articles or teach to serve society," he said..The Senior Advocate was delivering a keynote address at the inaugural session of the Y20 Talk Series Event on youth in policy making.He mentioned that 250 out of 348 Constituent Assembly members were lawyers. However, now, only 4 per cent of parliamentarians have a legal background."That galaxy of lawyers earlier consisted of some of the most eminent legal brains. The Constitution it produced was the most transformational charter for citizens: it gave human rights...Centre-State relations, hierarchy of courts, reservation for the hitherto oppressed...The nation has not witnessed such intellectual output of that scale since then.".Speaking about lawyers entering public life and serving society, Jethmalani remarked,"Most (lawyers) have little time that public life otherwise requires. Lawyers appearing for the State defend it in diverse spheres. Others appearing for private parties serve to uphold liberties. Lawyers strive as officers of the court to ensure justice. Actions may not appear transformational in limited sense, but we are playing our role to avoid lawlessness. The role of the bar during the Emergency will always be recorded in annals of Indian history. Lawyers all over protested. Habeas corpus petitions, arrests, some lived in exile abroad. Since Independence, that was the bar's most seminal moment.".The senior lawyer said that the advice of his father, the late Senior Advocate Ram Jethamalani, always stayed with him. Recalling the advice he received on ethics in the profession, he said,"Ethics are paramount. When I commenced my legal career, the advice of my father still rings. Lose your case but not your client. If you lose your client, do not lose the court. And if you do, then do not lose your conscience. You may find that the litigant retains you in appeal. Do not suppress judgments against you. Do not forge documents or attempt to bribe a judge."