Ethical courage is a lawyer’s greatest asset: Justice Surya Kant
Justice Surya Kant urged the legal fraternity to see themselves not merely as professionals but as agents of social transformation
Bengaluru: Ethical courage is not a liability but the greatest asset a lawyer can possess, Supreme Court judge Justice Surya Kant emphasised on Sunday, urging the legal fraternity to see themselves not merely as professionals but as agents of social transformation. He underlined that the true measure of a lawyer lay not just in learning the law but in reshaping it to serve the communities that need justice the most.
“The question is not whether you have learned the law. It is whether you are ready to reshape it, to bend the arc of justice toward the communities that need it most, and to transform legal practice from a mere career into a force for societal change,” said the judge, who will take over as the Chief Justice of India in November this year.
Delivering the convocation address at the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in Bengaluru, he reminded young lawyers that ethical courage, integrity and authenticity would define their path far more than shortcuts or technical brilliance.
Reflecting on his own experiences at the Bar, Justice Kant recounted how, early in his practice, he had refused to advance arguments that felt ethically uncomfortable, despite being pressed by a senior advocate. The stand, he said, not only earned him trust but also defined the trajectory of his career.
“Standing by your conscience does not end paths—it defines them. That advocate placed his complete trust in me precisely because of my integrity, and this trust became the foundation of a professional relationship that opened doors I never imagined possible,” said the judge, underscoring that integrity creates opportunities that shortcuts and compromises cannot.
Justice Kant laid out three critical decisions that he believed every lawyer would confront in their professional journey -- the temptation to compromise on ethics, the choice of what success truly means, and the responsibility to shape a professional legacy. The first, he said, often arises sooner than expected, such as being asked to inflate a billable hour or discourage a client from accepting a fair settlement. These, he cautioned, might be technically permissible under the law but fail the test of conscience. “This juncture examines not your legal knowledge --it examines your character,” he said.
The second turning point, according to Justice Kant, comes when the early excitement of practice begins to fade and young lawyers must ask themselves whether they are chasing goals that genuinely inspire them or merely pursuing what impresses others. Success, he suggested, has many forms in the legal profession, but it is only meaningful when it aligns with authenticity and purpose.
The third decisive moment, Justice Kant said, arrives when a lawyer begins to actively shape the profession, whether through mentoring younger colleagues, influencing institutional culture, or addressing barriers within the system. At that stage, he urged, the question becomes what kind of legacy one wants to leave behind.
“Some opened doors for communities, others mentored practitioners, others transformed how justice is delivered. Meaningful change demands that someone must be willing to stand in the storm while others seek shelter,” he said.
The judge reminded the graduates that the profession’s future would be shaped not merely by personal achievements but by the opportunities they created for others. “Integrity in your early years creates the foundation for authentic success in your middle years, enabling meaningful impact in your senior years. The reverse is equally true, compromise early and you cannot build genuine success later,” he cautioned.
As he closed his address, Justice Kant urged the graduating class to measure success not by material benchmarks alone but by the degree to which they contribute to the broader cause of justice. “Which path you choose -- I leave entirely to you,” said the judge, adding that the nation’s legal system would be stronger if each generation of lawyers chose courage, authenticity and integrity as the cornerstones of their professional journey.
