Gandhinagar, Apr 26 (PTI) The world does not need more brilliant lawyers, it needs more ethical lawyers, Supreme Court Justice Aravind Kumar said here on Saturday.
Addressing the 15th convocation of Gujarat National Law University (GNLU), Justice Kumar said law graduates should not let their career be measured by the number of cases they win but by the number of lives they have touched.
"Character beats cleverness. The law is a jealous mistress, but it is also a demanding teacher. You will be tested not in the moot courts, but the real ones, not on case briefs but on moral dilemmas. The temptation to cut corners, to compromise ethics for expediency may come dressed in silk robes, but remember, integrity is not negotiable," Justice Kumar said in his convocation address.
"The world does not need more brilliant lawyers, it needs more ethical lawyers," he said while calling the graduates "future defenders of justice, guardians of constitution and warriors of truth."
"As lawyers, your duty is to serve justice, not always to profit, but to serve truth with courage...Your flaws, your cracks, your vulnerability make you human. Don't be disturbed by those cracks. They also make you capable of empathy, compassion and growth. Never be ashamed of them, let them groom something beautiful," he further said.
He asked the graduates to be lawyers of whom the country would be proud and their parents would bless everyday.
"Never mistake your degree for destiny. You can learn something from everyone--sometimes what to do and sometimes what not to do. The true test of your legal acumen is not how much you charge per appearance but how many lives you impact," he said, advising the graduates to learn from their peers and even from the opposing counsel.
Supreme Court Justice Bela Trivedi, who is the Visitor of GNLU, also emphasised ethics in her address to the graduating students.
"I strongly believe excellence in the profession could be achieved only when you inculcate virtues and ethics in your life. The legal world where you will enter tomorrow will test your values. It is a world where shortcuts may seem very rewarding and pressure may challenge your convictions, but please remember that your integrity is most important in building your character," she said.
Holding on to the core values in spite of temptations and challenges would increase inner strength, Justice Trivedi asserted.
"It is rightly said that knowledge without ethics is dangerous, and skill without principles is hollow. Whatever path you choose, it should be navigated by the compass of truth, moral and ethics," she added.