Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that the legal profession is a public service and not merely a money-making business. He stressed that credibility, hard work, preparation and integrity are the real foundations of success in law.
Senior Advocate and Rajya Sabha Member Abhishek Manu Singhvi recently said that the legal profession should be seen as a service to society and not just a way to earn money. He explained that law is a profession that carries responsibility, ethics and public duty, and it should not be treated like a normal business where profit is the only aim.
He was speaking at Lovely Professional University during a lecture titled “Reminiscences of a Multitasking Career,” where he spoke about the legal profession, advocacy, credibility, public life and his experiences in courts and Parliament. During the lecture, he explained the difference between a profession and a business by referring to the ideas of famous US jurist Roscoe Pound.
Quoting Roscoe Pound’s ideas, Singhvi said,
“A very famous US jurist Dean Roscoe Pound gave a very nice essay on the difference between a profession and a business… what is most important is that unlike business, a profession is supposed to have an element of public service,”
Singhvi said.
He explained that professions like law developed over time based on specialised knowledge, training and a sense of responsibility towards society. According to him, the main aim of a profession should not be only earning money but also providing service to society and helping in maintaining fairness and justice.
During his speech, Singhvi also spoke about the challenges of managing multiple responsibilities at the same time, including court work, parliamentary duties and public speaking. He explained that different platforms require different styles of communication and a professional must be able to adapt quickly depending on the situation.
He said that courtroom advocacy requires discipline, accuracy and proper structure, while public speaking and parliamentary debates require clarity, persuasion and the ability to connect with people.
He also highlighted the importance of speaking briefly and clearly in court and advised young lawyers not to make long and unnecessary arguments. He said,
“The soul of advocacy is brevity. Every judge values clarity over clutter and precision over prolixity,”
he said.
He further explained that good courtroom performance is not something that happens suddenly but is the result of serious preparation and hard work done before appearing in court. He said, “What appears as brilliance in court is almost always the result of rigorous and meticulous preparation outside it,” he said.
Singhvi also spoke about the importance of credibility and reputation in the legal profession. He said that a lawyer’s reputation is built slowly through honesty, fairness and consistent hard work. He warned young lawyers not to take shortcuts in their careers because once credibility is lost, it is very difficult to rebuild trust and respect.
Talking about his experience in Parliament, Singhvi said that many meaningful and thoughtful speeches do not get public attention because they are not sensational. However, he said that parliamentary debates contain deep knowledge and wisdom that come from years of experience, even if such discussions do not always become headlines.
He made an important observation about public life and said,
“The most exacting courtroom is not always the Supreme Court. It is the court of public opinion,”
he said.
In the end, Singhvi advised students and young professionals to focus on building value, knowledge and integrity instead of only chasing fame and visibility. He said that real success in the legal profession comes from continuous effort, proper preparation, honesty and dedication to the profession and society.
He emphasised that the legal profession is not just a career but a responsibility towards society, and those who enter this profession must always remember their duty to serve justice and the public.
Click Here to Read More On Abhishek Manu Singhvi
