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AN EYE ON INDIA JANUARY 21, 2022 | The Indian Eye 10

Profile of tHe WeeK

Lawyer, publisher and legal leader:

PraDeeP raI Wears several haTs

WITh JusTIce as hIs PassIOn

Senior Advocate and Vice-President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, he is also the

publisher of the prestigious ‘India Legal’ magazine

OUR BUREAU clear that the High Courts should not
worry about the interference from
New Delhi
the Supreme Court,” said Rai to a
ustice is just a word if those who weekly magazine. “The message was
are expected to fight for it fail in given loud and clear, and we can see
Jtheir vocation. The lawyer’s pro- the effect in the orders passed by the
fession calls for passion –and sincere High Courts.”
dedication – like no other profession. Rai is also highly involved in oth-
Pradeep Rai is a Senior Advocate er judicial activities. Last year, when
and Vice-President of the Supreme an SCBA panel shortlisted 48 Su-
Court Bar Association, is a living ex- preme Court lawyers for elevation as
ample of how quest for justice and High Court judges, Rai was a mem-
commitment to the law makes all the ber of a ‘search committee’ to iden-
difference. tify the deserving and meritorious
Rai, who is also Chairman of var- Supreme Court practitioners.
ious sub-committees of the Supreme
Court Bar Association (SCBA) in- rai is also the publisher of india
cluding its E-Committee, is a well-
known name in the country’s legal legal magazine, which works
circles. With more than two decades as an extremely important re-
of standing at the Bar in the Supreme
Court of India, various High Courts, source for the legal fraternity
Commissions, Regulatory Bodies and media in the country. rai
and Tribunals, he has earned name
and fame for all the right reasons. has also been vocal about the
With experience in litigation across a plight of lawyers in the middle
wide spectrum of civil, criminal, rev-
enue and constitutional issues, Rai is of covid-19 pandemic which
one of top leaders of his profession has exposed the huge gaps in
in India.
His list of achievements is full of the legal profession.
glory. In the year 2015, Rai was des-
ignated as a “Senior Advocate”. He He expressed serious concern
has been a lawyer for several Corpo- about the bar getting shrunk. “Some
rate Houses, Chief Ministers of vari- lawyers have left Delhi, some have
ous States, Union Ministers, and Ce- even left the profession,” Rai told a
lebrities. Rai has also been a member website. “Quite a few people couldn’t
of the National Anti-Doping Agency pay the annual Supreme Court Bar
(NADA), a statutory agency under Association fees. We also launched
the aegis of Ministry of Youth Af- a financial assistance scheme, and we
fairs and Sports. Rai has been amicus were surprised to see that many law-
curiae in several important matters, yers, who one would think are doing
involving many state Governments, well, required assistance,” he said.
the Airport Authority of India and It is not an easy task to wear so
Judicial Reforms. many hats, especially when one is in
Not only is he an excellent law- And he is never afraid of speaking CJI came with the task of restoring legal business. But if one has justice
yer; he also preaches what he prac- his mind. After N V Ramana took the credibility of the judiciary, and as his core value, it becomes an asset.
tices, with the idea of justice at the over as the Chief Justice of India provide it with a direction. “After Pradeep Rai is a living example
heart of his concerns and motivation. (CJI), Rai said he believed that the taking charge, CJI Ramana made it of this creed.

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