senior advocate
Section 16 of the Advocates Act, 1961 divides advocates into senior advocates and other advocates. An advocate may, with his consent, be designated a senior advocate if the Supreme Court or a High Court is of the opinion that by virtue of his ability, standing at the Bar or special knowledge or experience in law he deserves the distinction. Designation is an honour conferred by the court, not a separate qualification.
Senior advocates are subject to restrictions in the Bar Council of India Rules: they do not file a vakalatnama, draft pleadings or appear without an advocate-on-record or junior. In Indira Jaising (2017) the Supreme Court laid down guidelines for a more transparent designation process through a permanent committee.
Example
A senior advocate cannot file a vakalatnama in his own name and must appear instructed by an advocate-on-record or another advocate.
In Indian law
- Section 16, Advocates Act, 1961
- Indira Jaising v. Supreme Court of India, 2017 INSC 1031: guidelines for designation of senior advocates
See also
advocate · advocate-on-record · Bar Council of India · counsel
Read more in the study notes
- Law and Lawyers: Parsi Rustomji, truth at the Bar and Gandhi's legal philosophy (English)
- Legal words and their usage: Accused to Juvenile (English)
- The Bar Council of India, the regulation of legal education and the five-year model (Legal Education and Research Methodology)
- Rent: the modern (demand and supply) theory and quasi-rent (Micro Economics)
- Leadership and motivation: styles, Maslow's hierarchy and McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y (Principles and Practice of Management)
- Conduct in court, professional conduct in general, and the privileges of an advocate (Professional Ethics)