Robes with Responsibility: KHCAA Proposes Binding Duties for Senior Advocates.

(By: Syed Ali Taher Abedi)

Kochi, Septemeber,26,2025- The Kerala High Court Advocates’ Association (KHCAA) has submitted a series of recommendations to the draft rules governing the designation of Senior Advocates, emphasizing that the honour must carry ongoing responsibilities and should not be treated as a mere ceremonial title akin to “Knighthood.”

KHCAA argued that the privilege of wearing the Senior Gown should be accompanied by continuous obligations to the legal community. These include mentoring junior advocates, engaging in pro bono work, and contributing meaningfully to the profession beyond personal practice.

Among the key proposals:

•  Mandatory Community Duties: KHCAA suggested that obligations outlined in Sub-Rule 1 be made compulsory for all Senior Advocates until the age of 65.
•  Revocation Clause: A consequential amendment to Rule 13 was proposed, allowing for the revocation of Senior designation if the obligations under the newly proposed Rule 4A are not met.
•  Weightage for Mentorship: The association recommended that the number of junior advocates employed by a candidate be disclosed and given the highest weightage during the designation process.

The proposals aim to ensure that the Senior Advocate title reflects not just professional excellence but also a sustained commitment to the broader legal ecosystem.

It further said that this Bar has had doyens in the profession in its glorious past. Unfortunately, we seem to have lost our way and are descending gradually. I have had several interactions with senior advocates who are all of the view that the bar for entry as ‘senior advocates’ has to be raised by several notches. As we analysed the situation, we have reached a considered opinion that to ensure the quality of the ‘senior advocates’, the checks at the entry alone will not suffice.

The KHCAA has in its letter mentioned that

 “. The recommendations made herein is particularly significant to Kerala and the Kerala High Court Advocates Association because those ‘advocates’ who become designated seniors become part of another unrecognised association called the Kerala High Court Senior Advocates Association who seek donations / subscriptions from ‘senior advocates’ which significantly impacts the ‘financial contribution’ of the designated seniors to the KHCAA. This means that by designating ‘senior advocates’, instead of contributing to the development of the Bar, the senior advocates choke the Bar Association of the ‘funds’ which is detrimental to the future of Bar Association and will create a different ‘class of advocates that would directly hit at the very heart of Article 14 of the Constitution as the designation while creating a distinct class fails to have any nexus with the objects sought to be achieved.”

The KHCAA hopes that the recommendations outlined in this letter will be accepted, emphasizing that they are aimed solely at maintaining the quality of the Bar at all times and ensuring the continuous nurturing of junior advocates’ talent. A strong junior Bar, the association noted, will ultimately provide a larger pool of candidates for the selection of judges and for conferring Senior Advocate designations.