The solicitor general and new chairman of the Bar Council of India speaks out on foreign law firms, reforming legal education and boosting the self esteem of Indian lawyers
Gopal Subramaniam, 52, was elected chairman of the Bar Council of India (BCI) in April. He is also the country’s solicitor general, a post he has held since June 2009. Prior to that, he was the additional solicitor general for five years.
On a quiet weekend evening, Subramaniam spoke exclusively to India Business Law Journal at his home, a two-storey government-owned house in the heart of New Delhi.
IBLJ: You are the first acting solicitor general to be appointed chairman of the BCI. How will you juggle the two roles, and do you foresee any potential conflicts of interest arising while you hold both positions at the same time?
Subramaniam: My role as solicitor general has given me valuable insights into government processes. The fusion of the two offices is very welcome and I certainly would not allow a conflict to develop between these roles. In fact, I see them as complementary. Fortunately, I have the support of the law minister and the honourable prime minister, who view independence as the most important facet of a lawyer, particularly a law officer of the central government. I must confess that it is a very heavy burden in terms of time, energy and planning, but I have taken it on as a mission and I hope I will succeed.
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