Surana and Surana International Lawyers, Jindal Global Law School, Conclave

‘A Lawyer is a Social Engineer’, Judge M. M. M. Sundresh at Surana & Surana Moot 25th Anniversary Legal Conclave.

The Jindal-Surana Conclave, “Moot 25 Years”, commemorated the 25th anniversary of Surana Law Firm and Surana International Attorneys (SSIA) in association with Jindal Global Law School (JGLS), OP Jindal Global University (JGU) the week last. Driven by its commitment to developing the advocacy skills of law students, the SSIA has collaborated with many law schools in India to organize various moot court competitions. The firm also held essay and judgment writing competitions for law students in areas such as corporate law, criminal law, environmental and energy law, social justice and environmental law. public empowerment, and technology.

The Conclave was inaugurated by the Honorable Mr. Judge M. M. SundreshJustice, Supreme Court of India, the main guest of the Conclave, who said: “A lawyer is called a social engineer. Law and society are intrinsically linked to each other. The law must change according to the needs of society and the law. would in turn facilitate change in society. When we speak of society, we must think of the units attached to it: art, belief, culture, custom, tradition, language, caste, community, economy, regime; it all goes into the broader generation of society. As a law student, the main goal is to understand how society works and in my opinion, this is the most important aspect.

Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India & Member of Parliament in his special address, said that “while learning the art of advocacy, young lawyers should be reminded that law is a profession and not a business.” spirit of public service is what underpins a profession as opposed to a business. It is true that certain structures within the law are very business and commercial, this is not to decry them, belittle them or diminish them, but it is to say that we must not forget the idea basis, that ultimately you are doing a public service service to society, even if you are paid for it and this applies especially to litigators.”

Teacher. (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, Founding Vice-Chancellor, OP Jindal Global University and Founding Dean, Jindal Global Law School, in his Presidential Address, observed that the academic commitment of Surana and Surana International Attorneys is a shining example of a firm’s social commitment of lawyers towards legal education and the legal profession. Bringing law school collaborations to their full potential, under the capable leadership of Dr. Vinod Surana, the firm has played a huge role in promoting and advancing the culture of advocacy in India. The firm’s commitment has left an indelible impact on many law schools and law students. Reflecting on the larger theme of the Conclave, Professor Raj Kumar presented his dream for the future of legal education and the legal profession: “I dream that the future of legal education will have a strong and substantial impact on promoting research, knowledge creation and the sharing of great ideas that can help us solve important legal problems in our society. Secondly, I dream that in the future, in law schools, the emphasis would be on speaking truth to power, and that law schools would be able to strengthen democratic institutions and create independent thought. to influence society.I dream that the law schools of the future in India will not be limited to the narrow proposition of studying law but also focus on stronger interdisciplinarity with special emphasis on liberal arts, sciences human and social No student can aspire to be an exceptional lawyer or judge without having a solid grounding in history, philosophy and many other disciplines. the future will embrace technology but will not hesitate to challenge the use of technology by acknowledging issues around ethics and privacy. Future law schools will place greater emphasis on experiential learning”

Dr Vinod SuranaManaging Partner and CEO of Surana & Surana International Attorneys, said, “This is an opportunity to mark 25 years of successfully administering and hosting what has become the world’s largest advocacy program. It is also an opportunity to reflect on the transformative forces that guide and influence the learning, teaching and practice of law. »

The panel on “Access to justice and information technologies” observed that justice is a common good and that technology must serve this common good. The courts have a central role to play in bridging the digital divide. The second panel, “The Future of the Legal Profession”, discussed the transformation that technology has brought to the legal profession. Discussing the theory and practice of mock courts in the panel “The idea of the mock court: pedagogy, practice or pride”, the speakers focused on the educational utility of mock courts and the extent to which it is underused. Emphasizing the relationship between theory and practice in the ‘Future of Legal Education’ panel, speakers observed that there should be active and intense collaborations between law schools and the legal profession. Unless students are aware of social changes and become adept in the use of technology, they will find it difficult to succeed in the profession.

Moderator of the panel on the future of legal education, Professor Dabiru Sridhar PatnaikRegistrar, OP Jindal Global University said, “There are external factors that affect legal education today due to the globalized world we live in. Therefore, it is very important to understand how legal education should be The pandemic has brought about a whole new set of Virtual learning, which was an accompanying mechanism, has now become a paramount activity and has also made us revisit the origins of the foundations of law as well as the functioning of the law school .

AT the farewell session, the guest of honour, Mr.Vikas SinghSenior Counsel and former Additional Solicitor General, and President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, said, “Advocacy is a great way to give aspiring lawyers hands-on experience before they actually step into the profession. It’s a way for you to realize how good you are. on your legs. Surana and Surana were probably the first to launch institutional advocacy in the country. I hope they can do more so that students can have first-hand exposure to how to stand, think, and think while standing.