The Supreme Court’s suggestion for setting up a National Legal Academy for upskilling or reskilling enrolled lawyers is a welcome move. The Bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe observed that lawyers’ training should be upgraded just as the National Judicial Academy exists for capacity building among judges. The Justices exhorted the Bar Council of India to “rise to the occasion”, seek help from lawyers experienced in setting up institutions and inform the court of its opinion by the end of August. The hope is that the profession would consider the academy a place for positive professional upgrades, such as in new technologies and evolving ethics. It will also provide a more constructive way for reform than disciplining punishments.
