SOCIOLOGY OF LEGAL

PROFESSION
PROFESSION

• Employment
• Learned education
• A vocation
• Professional knowledge
• Advising , guiding
• Scientific knowledge , skill
Legal profession
• Pertaining to law
• Connected with law profession
Definition of law
• Body of principles
• Recognised , enforced
• Instrument of society
• To achieve justice
Legal
• Lawful , reasonable
• Justice through jurisprudence
Legal profession
• Occupation of gentlemen
• Qualified by education
• To discharge duties of advocate
Legal profession as occupation
• Oldest profession
• Advocate , lawyers
• Office of justice
• Friend of court
• To argue in courts
• To help the judge
• To declare judgement
Advocate
• Gives legal advice
• Assists parties in contracts agreements, deeds, wills
etc.
• Provides professional services taxation, trade.
• Free legal aid to poor.
• To protect fundamental rights.
• To fight for law reforms , social change.
Legal profession
• Noblest profession
• Honest character
• To keep up status as court officer
• Privileged member of society
• A gentleman
Eligible for profession
• To fulfil conditions
• Citizen of India
• Completed 21 years
• Degree of law
• To pay enrolment fee
• To take an oath to bar council
Sociology of legal profession
• Study of legal institutions
• Interconnection of different parts
• Interdependence of groups of jural life
Bar council of India
• Bar council of India
• State bar councils
• Statutory bodies
• Periodically elected body
• Chairman, vice-chairman, members of executive.
• Body corporate
• Perpetual succession
• Common seal
• Power to acquire, hold property
• To contract , to sue , to be sued.
Functions of bar council of India
• To lay down standards
• Procedure for discipline committee
• To safeguard rights, privileges of advocates
• To promote law reform
• To control over state bar council
• To promote legal education
Bar- bench relation
• Bar-who are licensed to practice
• Particular part of court room
• All judges taken together
• Bench-where judges are sitting
• Courts-where legal cases heard by judges
- body of men vested with power for judges
Hierarchy of courts
• Supreme court , high courts
• District courts , sub-courts
• Magesterial courts , pethy courts etc
Social relationships in legal profession
• Advocate – privileged member of society
• Gentleman , citizen
• To protect the country, lead the community
Relationship with public in society
• To make laws for well-being of people
• To guard liberty , freedom of people
• To uphold unity , integrity of nation
• To strive for social legislations
• To educate people to respect laws
• Respect for courts , judges.
Relationship with community
Advocate
• To establish legal aid societies
• To provide legal education to illiterate
• To fight against social ills
• To work with social welfare committees
Relationship with court
• To be straight forward
• Sense of humour , pleasing manners
• Not to mislead the court
• To be tactful
• Prescribed dress
• To maintain dignity, self – respect
Relationship with client
• To uphold interests of clients
• To pay proper attention to the case
• Not to abuse confidence
• Not to lend money to client for legal proceedings
Relationship with colleagues
• Not to reveal the subject to any party
• Not to mislead the opponent
Legal literacy through camps
• To educate weaker sections
• To spread legal awareness
• Law students , judges participate
Literacy camps for following objectives
• To create awareness
• To acquire basic knowledge of laws
• To fight for justice
• To involve NGO’s in camps
Legal aid to the poor
• Article 39A provides free legal aid
• CPC , CRPC provide free legal aid to the poor
• The advocates act,1961 contains legal aid.
• National legal services authority constituted
Persons entitled to free legal services
• SC’s , ST’s
• Victims of human trafficking
• A woman or child
• A person with disability
• Victim of mass disaster, ethnic violence
• Caste atrocities, flood , drought, earth quake
• Industrial workman
• In custody in a protective home Juvenile home
• Persons getting less than Rs 9000/- per year.