There is a misconception among general public for the Supreme Court practitioners that our practice is very lavish with no struggle aka “ The Elite Practice”. It is“only” about wearing the famous “black robe”, arguing before the Hon’ble Judges, walking behind/assisting/briefing big-shot Ld. Senior Advocates, having big clients, making big money, always dealing with high stake matters, judges’ remembering your name, being appointed as Amicus etc etc. But, in reality, it is a difficult forum to practice before. Moreover, most of the above said privileges are accessible only after 10-15 years of regular practice before the forum which is one’s transition period from a junior to an independent Counsel.
Ab there is always a confrontation between a Trial Court lawyer and a Supreme Court practitioner. I admit that Trial courts mein zabardast struggle hain but Supreme Court ke struggle ko bhi aap underestimate nahi kar sakte hain. I know few of my Ld. Colleagues reading this will not agree with me but sachai yahi hai ki jitni difficult life ek trial court ke vakeel ki hai because of the rough and tough environment, utni hi tough life ek SC lawyer, especially of a junior, ki bhi hai because of the “elite and influential” environment that otherwise constantly de-motivates and compels to ask a question that, “how am I going to settle my practice and establish myself in this Court?”Moreover, there is so much stress ki pure din ki baat toh chodho, subah 09:30 baje bhi agar aap kisi bhi junior ko corridors mein dekh lo toh chehre pe 12 baje rehte hain (no pun intended).
So meri office related bhaag daud roz subah 8:20am se start hoti hai and mostly raat 8:30 pe jaake khatam hoti hai only to recharge myself for the next day and then to repeat the routine. Main itna thak jaati hoon ki kisi friend se toh chodho mom dad and bhaiyon se bhi baat karne ka mann nahi karta hai. Moreover, I am early to bed and early to rise, kind of a person so I make sure that I sleep by 10:45pm to get up at 4:00-4:15am. Of course, the above timings and schedule is subject to exceptions when extremely urgent work has to be done or some work is pending or deadline is also about to finish. But one thing I must say and acknowledge is that I am so grateful to my senior because she never messages me or calls me once we are back home unless there is something urgent. At the most, she will leave a message so that I see it in the morning and act/respond accordingly. Thank you so much dear Ma’am.
So I get up at 4:00 or 4:15 am, then I do meditation because I cannot survive without it. After doing the same I again take a nap of 15 minutes and then either read my ongoing book or complete my pending work. Once it is 6:00 am then I help my mom with morning home chores till 7 am. After that I get ready for the office and have my breakfast by 8:00 am. Since meri senior aur mera ghar is just 5 minutes away, she picks me up anytime post 8:00 am. Then we reach the office by 9:15 am and we start our preparation for the day. This includes our revision about kaun kis court mein rahega, kisko kya karna hai, any letter, or any last minute instructions etc. Matters ki list mere Associate ek din phele hi bana dete hai and sham ko ghar jaane se phele we do one preliminary discussion.
Then depending upon the serial nos. of the matters we mostly leave for the Supreme Court by 10:00 am. All thanks to my office, which is in the Bengali Market, we don’t have to spend time and waste our precious energy on the road by going through a number of red lights and huge traffic.
Finally, SC pauchte hi my Junior Advocate mode gets switched on. Due to COVID related changes in the traditional system of practice, now most of the Hon’ble Courts have their own sequence as per which they would be taking the matters given in the list for the day. So main apna bag and lunch rakh kar jis jis court mein matters lagey hote hain un sabke sequence collect kar leti hoon and then I inform my senior about the same. In case, we have engaged a Ld. Senior Advocate then unke juniors ko bhi inform kar deti hoon. Halaki who phele se hi Courts ko assess karke rakhte hain- as per their matters- but as an AOR (symbolizing his/her whole office) hume apna input and collected information definitely unko batana hota hai because in Supreme Court it is the AOR who is mainly responsible for the matter and not any other category of Advocate in the team.
Ab the whole day depends upon the sequence at which the matter would be taken up. Needless to say whether the matter is reaching or not (as per the calculation or how the other matters are heard) we Advocates have to wait either till the Court arises or the board is discharged because of some part heard matters etc etc. Isi intezaar mein generally 4:30 baj jaate hai. Beech beech mein coffee bhi ho jaati hai. Zyaada dost hain nahi lekin jo ek do hain unse 5-10 minutes baat ho jaati hai else corridor mein bus dusro ko, ghadi ko aur display board ko dekhte dekhte apne matters ke intezaar mai waqt beet jata hai . Fir wait karte waqt kabhi kabhi drafting complete kar leti hoon ya registry ka chakkar laga leti hoon but yeh bhi tab hi hota hai jab teen chaar matters listed ho otherwise jis din zyaada ho phir toh bas ek corridor se dusre corridor hi bhaagti rehti hoon.
Acha corridors ke bhi nazaare dekhne laayak hote hain. Yahan alag level ki comedy chalti hai for example iski koni mujhe lage, meri koni usko lage, koi gir raha hai toh kisi ki files gir rahi hain, koi coffee pe raha hai toh koi sa group thahake maar maar kar hans raha hai aur kabhi kisi ka gown phans kar phat jaata hai toh koi relief na milne par full on rant kar raha hota hai. . But inhi corridors mein mere jaise juniors bade bade Ld. and Experienced Senior Advocates ko dekh kar khud ke liye bhi sapne dekhte hain; unko observe karte hain; unki jo qualities achi lagti hain unko appreciate karte hain; body language observe karte hain etc. and apne dimaag mein set karte hain. Phir Courts ke andar inhi seniors ko argue karte hue, judges ke questions ka answer dete hue, case present karte hue , dekhte hain aur bahut kuch sikhte hain. Bus saara din aise hi nikal jaata hai including the work that we do.
Then I go back to the office and complete whatever drafting or compliance is pending. Iss time tak saari energy khatam si ho jaati hai aur aisa lagta hai ki bus ghar nikalo because next day ki tension hone lagti hai. Raat mein jab sone jaati hoon toh every inch of my body aches but my last thoughts before sleeping are always about the satisfaction that I receive after working for the whole day. I feel super proud of myself when I think back in time and see as to how much I have changed and what I have become today since becoming an advocate was neither my dream nor was an alternative option for me. But now I always feel grateful for the life that I am living. Of course, I want to grow and earn more but I am equally satisfied with whatever I have, and with whatever experience I am getting on a daily basis.
I sleep with a peaceful mind immaterial of the hard and rough day that I may have had. I tell myself that it is okay as all days are not the same and there will always be ups and downs in life but the same has to be dealt with utmost patience and determination. I tell myself to relax and go through and complete the required gestation period if I really want to see myself as an established Counsel of the Hon’ble Apex Court. I do get stressed out but now I am able to manage it better with each passing day due to growing experience and maturity in the profession and ab dheere dheere confidence bhi aa hi raha hai. Moreover, my UNIVERSE, Amma and Baba (my late grandparents) are with me and I am so grateful for their invisible love, support and protection that they shower and bestow upon me.So, ending this blog by wishing myself and juniors like me all the very best. I request everyone to stay determined, and be present and visible regularly on the field (as my senior has advised me) immaterial of the hardships one may face. We shall overcome everything one day.
