Don’t Chase Prestige, Build Purpose: CJI Gavai Urges Law Grads to Rethink Foreign LL.M Craze
At the 22nd Convocation of NALSAR University of Law, Chief Justice of India BR Gavai delivered a powerful and deeply introspective speech urging young lawyers to resist the growing pressure of seeking validation through expensive foreign degrees.
Highlighting the emotional toll and structural inequalities embedded in the Indian legal system, the CJI said,
“The hours are long. The expectations, high. The culture, sometimes ruthless. You will feel pressure not just to succeed, but to appear successful.”
He advised young lawyers not to shy away from acknowledging their struggles. Quoting American poet Audre Lorde, he said,
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.”
Taking on the rising trend among law graduates to pursue LL.Ms abroad, often at the cost of massive student loans, Justice Gavai warned against making such decisions without proper reflection.
“Do not put yourself or your family under the burden of loans amounting to 50–70 lakhs just for a foreign degree. A foreign degree alone is not a stamp of your worth… Don’t take this decision in a reflex of thought or under peer pressure.”
He instead suggested using that money to build one’s own practice or chambers, and to consider studying abroad later, with clarity and purpose:
“Go abroad not to escape, but to expand.”
The Chief Justice also drew attention to systemic biases and disparities in legal careers, referencing a 2023 American study to underline the weight that law school names carry in career outcomes — a phenomenon mirrored in India.
“A student from a National Law School in a metro city may be seen as ‘better placed’ than one from a smaller university, not necessarily because of skill, but because of perception.”
He added,
“Structural inequality hides in silence. In the subtle comments. In the internship that never comes. In the doors that are hard to open.”
On legal education in India, he raised a critical question:
“We must ask: Why do so many feel they have to cross oceans to find intellectual stimulation, academic mentorship, or a meaningful platform for their research?”
While acknowledging the importance of global exposure, he lamented the lack of institutional support and mentorship for returning scholars.
“When they return, they often find our institutions unwelcoming, under-resourced, or closed to new ideas.”
Justice Gavai reminded the audience that excellence in law begins with strong fundamentals.
“There is no shortcut to knowing the law. There is no alternative to knowing the basics well. The Constitution, the Contract Act, the Code of Civil Procedure, the criminal law, and other core subjects are not optional subjects. They are your daily bread.”
Stressing the power of mentorship, he reflected on his own journey:
“Let me say this with honesty: I am here today not just because I worked hard… Someone saw something in me before I could see it in myself.”
The Chief Justice concluded with a heartfelt message to the graduates:
“It’s okay to take a pause in life, sometimes. It’s okay to be uncertain. You don’t always have to prove yourself. Sometimes, just being is enough.”
Justice Gavai’s speech was not just a convocation address — it was a call for collective reflection, systemic reform, and personal courage.
