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Legal Eagles: Stories of the Top Seven Indian Lawyers
Harish Salve failed his CA exam twice.
Mukul Rohatgi was unable to secure a place at the Law Faculty, Delhi University.
Rohinton Nariman was trained to become a Parsi priest.
Legal Eagles examines the lives and times of India’s top seven lawyers, who fought some of the country’s landmark courtroom battles. Tracing their journey from their childhood days to the present, the book highlights the important milestones of their careers, their victories and failures, their influences, and their work ethic and role models, demonstrating that the path to success is paved with determination, grit and challenges. Journalist Indu Bhan gives a ringside view of the most significant case handled by each of these lawyers, including the Vodafone tax case, Coalgate and the 2G spectrum controversy, among others.
Mukul Rohatgi was unable to secure a place at the Law Faculty, Delhi University.
Rohinton Nariman was trained to become a Parsi priest.
Legal Eagles examines the lives and times of India’s top seven lawyers, who fought some of the country’s landmark courtroom battles. Tracing their journey from their childhood days to the present, the book highlights the important milestones of their careers, their victories and failures, their influences, and their work ethic and role models, demonstrating that the path to success is paved with determination, grit and challenges. Journalist Indu Bhan gives a ringside view of the most significant case handled by each of these lawyers, including the Vodafone tax case, Coalgate and the 2G spectrum controversy, among others.
- GenresLawNonfictionIndia
228 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 31, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
October 15, 2015
Bad. Monotonous, boring and pointless.
Only interesting observation - of the 7 lawyers discussed in the book, 6 come from extremely previliged backgrounds and have had their fathers in the legal practice. The only exception (surprise, surprise) is Arvind Datar. Speaks a lot about the bench, doesn't it?
Only interesting observation - of the 7 lawyers discussed in the book, 6 come from extremely previliged backgrounds and have had their fathers in the legal practice. The only exception (surprise, surprise) is Arvind Datar. Speaks a lot about the bench, doesn't it?
August 22, 2020
The landscape of Indian legal jurisprudence is graced by and littered with stars whose brightness is eternal, and twinkle, indelible. The who’s who of India’s legal fraternity is a precocious Hall of Fame, pride of a nation and a formidable array that intimidates and inspires. A few names – without being disrespectful to the inadvertently omitted – that assail the memory and mind, constitute, H.M. Seervai, a giant of his profession and a doyen of Constitutional Law, the iconoclastic and trenchant Ram Jethmalani, the innately brilliant and trendsetting V.R. Krishna Iyer; one of the longest serving Chief Justices Y.V.Chandrachud, and finally the best in class, the incomparable genius, Nani Palkhivala.
Thus, it is an extremely difficult, and if I may take the liberty to add, courageous endeavour to attempt chronicling the achievements of a select sample from what is a maddeningly lambent pool. This is exactly what Ms. Bhan attempts, and – to give credit where it is deservingly due – succeeds in great measure. Choosing seven powerful and highly successful lawyers, all of whom have carved a niche for themselves in post liberalization India, Ms. Bhan takes her readers on a journey that is exhilarating, enthusiastic and thoroughly enjoyable. The pantheon of luminaries making the pages of Ms. Bhan’s book consists of Harish Salve, Mukul Rohatgi, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Arvind Datar, Aryama Sundaram, Prashant Bhushan and Rohington Fali Nariman. Quick witted, focused, indomitable and with a razor-sharp hold over their chosen subjects, the magnificent seven have over the years, astounded, amazed and awe inspired peers and the layman alike with their gilt-edged performances within the confines of a Court. Every recent judicial verdict of national prominence has the imprimatur of one of these titans or for that matter, more than one since these alpha males of the legal world constantly find themselves in jousting contests with their equally accomplished peers.
Ms. Bhan’s book provides a sneak peek into the general approach followed by each of the seven stalwarts as they go about their business and lends an insight into how the philosophy each one adopts towards life in general. Hence, the references to music, Yoga, travels and meditation. The book also highlights the travails and tribulations experienced by these lawyers at some point in their lives. Harish Salve failed the Chartered Accountancy examinations twice and was on the brink of giving up before being egged on by his illustrious father N.K.P. Salve. A major surgery in his final year at school medically disqualified Arvind Datar thereby putting paid to his hopes of joining the merchant navy and owning a gargantuan shipping company. Datar has even gone to the extent of naming his prospective company Disco—or Datar International Shipping Company. Facing adversity in the best manner possible is staring it back at its face.
Rohington Fali Nariman was ordained as a priest in the Zoroastrian tradition when he was all of twelve years. He cut his teeth dueling with the very best in so far as law career is concerned. Two significant cases helped him gain invaluable experience at an early age. While one was against well-known lawyer and Advocate General of Maharashtra H.M. Seervai (Needle Industries case, the other was against former Attorney General Soli Sorabjee (Swadeshi Cotton Mills case). However, the case that allowed Nariman to escape the shadows of his illustrious father, (one of the greatest ever lawyers the nation has been graced with) was the He believes that the K.R. Laxmanan v. State of Tamil Nadu (1996), case in which a landmark judgement was delivered. “Some of the other important cases that he has been associated with include Khoday Distilleries Ltd v. The Scotch Whisky Association (2008). For the first time, the Supreme Court allowed the Khoday group to use the word ‘scotch’ on its premium whisky brand, Peter Scot. It rejected the liquor body’s allegation that the word ‘Scot’ was deceptively similar to ‘Scotch’, which led the consumers to believe that the product had a Scottish connection.”
Rohinton Nariman also wrote a landmark judgment where the “Supreme Court bench in March 2015, struck down Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, a provision that so far had been widely misused by the police to justify the arrests of Internet users for allegedly posting ‘offensive’ content on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. Stating that the provision was vaguely worded, which allowed for its misuse by the police, Rohinton said the law hit at the root of liberty and freedom of expression. ‘The section is unconstitutional also on the ground that it takes within its sweep protected speech, and speech that is innocent in nature, and is liable, therefore, to be used in such a way so as to have a chilling effect on free speech, and would have to be struck down on the ground of overbreadth,’ he ruled, while upholding the validity of Section 69B and the 2011 guidelines that allowed the government to block websites if their content had the potential to create communal disturbance, social disorder or affect India’s relationship with other countries.”
A lover of Mozart, Verdi, Bach and the like, Nariman has also been instrumental in setting up the Supreme Court Lawyers’ Welfare Trust, which works for the welfare of lawyers. The trust encourages young talent and supports less-privileged members of the Bar.
Prashant Bhushan is well known for his propensity to employ the instrument of Public Interest Litigation (“PIL”). A few disgruntled, genuinely so, voices have even termed him to be a mercenary of the PLI. But this indefatigable lawyer has kept at with a vigour bordering on the maniacal. Whether it be the PIL that had the impact of the Supreme Court declare as arbitrary and illegal, more than 204 government allocations of coal blocks to steel, cement and power companies since 1993, or the one where Prashant Bhushan Prashant “alleged that the Mukesh Ambani–run Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd had been given an undue benefit of more than Rs 20,000 crore by allowing it to offer voice services on its 4G spectrum by converting its Internet service provider (ISP) license into a unified access services license”, the PIL purveyor is in the think of the action. Prashant Bhushan was also involved in the 2G Spectrum scam, which the “Time” magazine listed as being second only to Watergate in so far as abuse of power was concerned. At the time of this review, Prashant Bhushan find himself at the risk of being reprimanded if not prosecuted by the Apex Court for a contempt of court matter.
Harish Salve represented Kulbushan Jadav, who is languishing in a jail in Pakistan, after being accused of spying charges, at the International Court of Justice and secured a resounding victory for India. The heart-warming aspect of this case being the fact that Salve charged just a token sum of INR1 for representing Jadav. An incorrigible Dilip Kumar tragic, Salve’s moment of glory came when he won a landmark decision in the Supreme Court that quashed a jaw dropping income tax demand of $2 billion on Vodafone. Early in his legal career, “Harish decided to relocate to Delhi to try his luck by setting up his practice at the Supreme Court, and joined J.B. Dadachandji & Co. as an intern. It was at this time that he got an opportunity to assist Palkhivala in the Minerva Mills case. Later, in 1980, it was Palkhivala who suggested that Harish join the chambers of senior counsel Soli Sorabjee, who later became the Attorney General of India in April 1991. After that, there was no looking back.” Solicitor General of India (SG) in 1999 during the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) regime, Salve held office till 2002. He was conferred the Padma Bhushan, the country’s third-highest civilian honour in 2015.
Abhishek Manu Singhvi was just thirty-four, when he was designated as a senior advocate. This made him India’s youngest ever senior advocate. With a stellar academic repute that included distinctions at St Columba’s School, St Stephen’s and Trinity College, Cambridge, Singhvi shot into fame by appearing in a raft of prominent cases. An Amicus Curiae in the D.K.Basu case on custodial deaths, representing Naveen Jindal in the right-to-fly-the-tricolour case, appearing in the NTC Bombay Mills case on urban environmental concerns, Mandal case on reservation for backward classes, and the Renusagar case on international commercial arbitration represent a few shiny feathers in Singhvi’s illustrious cap. In his capacity as the official spokesperson for the Indian National Congress, Singhvi spends a significant time in appearing on various discussions, deliberations and debates on social media and television.
During his college days, Mukul Rohatgi and two of his classmates had a routine to swear by. This continued years after their academic days. Rohatgi, former Finance Minister of India, the late Arun Jaitley and now a prominent lawyer Karanjawala would meet on Saturdays for lunch at Pickwicks, a restaurant at the Claridges Hotel. ‘I would regularly go out with Jaitley and Karanjawala. My father had gifted me his old Fiat car and we would all go gallivanting in it. The day would end with me dropping them to Dhaula Kuan. From there, Jaitley would take an autorickshaw to his house in Naraina, Karanjawala would take one to Saket”, recollects Rohatgi in an interview with the author. An imperious lawyer known for his ferocity in his arguments, Mukul Rohatgi was appointed the fourteenth AG of India in 2014. “The real turning point in his life was leaving the Delhi High Court and then doing cases on a larger canvas by working for the government and various PSUs, be it the 2G spectrum case, the coal scam, mining matters at the Special Forest Bench for Goa, Karnataka and Orissa, or cases of petrol pump cancellations. There were cases that would attract public attention, whether it meant appearing for yoga guru Baba Ramdev, or attending to complaints against Maharashtra politician Raj Thackeray—and that made all the difference.” A keen swimmer, Rohatgi is also a regular contributor to philanthropy. His altruism extends to generous contributions to the Blind Relief Association, Help Age India, and an orphanage in New Delhi.
Arvind Datar would be remembered by many as the lawyer who represented Michael Jackson. A Chennai-based producer filed a suit against the world-famous singer in the Madras High Court seeking an interim injunction against the singer’s concert, which was to be held in Mumbai. He wanted the singer and the organizers to furnish security for his claim for damages against Michael Jackson for breach of a contract that the singer had signed with him. Elaborate arguments later, “the Madras High Court refused to grant an injunction, and the historic concert took place in Mumbai. This was a major victory for Arvind as he was still not yet a senior.” Arvind Datar has one uncompromising principle which he follows even to this day. A refusal to visit the offices of any client or chartered accountant. Deriving inspiration from a famous legal personality K. Bhashyam Iyengar, who had refused to even meet the then British governor who had wanted to consult him on a personal matter, Datar began emulating Iyengar. As Ms. Bhan informs her readers, “one lawyer he particularly admired even as a student was R. Kesava Iyengar. Therefore, when the contempt case came up for hearing, he decided to brief him. They worked together for almost twenty days, and this was an unforgettable period of his life. ‘Although he was ninety-three years old at that time, his mind was razor-sharp. He gave me invaluable advice. For example, he told me that one should spend 60 per cent of one’s time in reading and preparation, and at least 40 per cent in thinking about the case.”
A man who enjoys traveling all over the world, Aryama Sundaram has a house in the picturesque hill station of Kodaikanal and loves the state of Goa as well. A man who quotes Kipling, Sundaram is one of India’s most vaunted and much wanted legal eagles. Enjoying a good career with the advertising and media company Ogilvy & Mather, Sundaram enrolled with the Madras Bar Council on 26 November 1980, and joined a law firm called King & Partridge. A tryst with a literature loving judge whose approbation Sundaram received after quoting Oscar Wilde, his career took an upward trajectory. Branching out on his own, he established Nataraj Rao, Raghu & Sundaram. Making his mark as a leading admiralty lawyer in the Madras High Court, Sundaram soon became a Senior in the Madras High Court. Some of the notable cases argued by this lawyer include the infamous IPL match fixing fiasco where he represented the BCCI and the 2G spectrum presidential reference where he was appointed by the Federation of the Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry to be their lawyer.
“Legal Eagles” is a thoroughly enjoyable read. However, my only grouse with the book is the absence of a woman. One name that instantly comes to mind is that of the mercurial Zia Mody. Hoping that the author brings out a sequel showcasing the legal talents of women lawyers and judges in India.
Thus, it is an extremely difficult, and if I may take the liberty to add, courageous endeavour to attempt chronicling the achievements of a select sample from what is a maddeningly lambent pool. This is exactly what Ms. Bhan attempts, and – to give credit where it is deservingly due – succeeds in great measure. Choosing seven powerful and highly successful lawyers, all of whom have carved a niche for themselves in post liberalization India, Ms. Bhan takes her readers on a journey that is exhilarating, enthusiastic and thoroughly enjoyable. The pantheon of luminaries making the pages of Ms. Bhan’s book consists of Harish Salve, Mukul Rohatgi, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Arvind Datar, Aryama Sundaram, Prashant Bhushan and Rohington Fali Nariman. Quick witted, focused, indomitable and with a razor-sharp hold over their chosen subjects, the magnificent seven have over the years, astounded, amazed and awe inspired peers and the layman alike with their gilt-edged performances within the confines of a Court. Every recent judicial verdict of national prominence has the imprimatur of one of these titans or for that matter, more than one since these alpha males of the legal world constantly find themselves in jousting contests with their equally accomplished peers.
Ms. Bhan’s book provides a sneak peek into the general approach followed by each of the seven stalwarts as they go about their business and lends an insight into how the philosophy each one adopts towards life in general. Hence, the references to music, Yoga, travels and meditation. The book also highlights the travails and tribulations experienced by these lawyers at some point in their lives. Harish Salve failed the Chartered Accountancy examinations twice and was on the brink of giving up before being egged on by his illustrious father N.K.P. Salve. A major surgery in his final year at school medically disqualified Arvind Datar thereby putting paid to his hopes of joining the merchant navy and owning a gargantuan shipping company. Datar has even gone to the extent of naming his prospective company Disco—or Datar International Shipping Company. Facing adversity in the best manner possible is staring it back at its face.
Rohington Fali Nariman was ordained as a priest in the Zoroastrian tradition when he was all of twelve years. He cut his teeth dueling with the very best in so far as law career is concerned. Two significant cases helped him gain invaluable experience at an early age. While one was against well-known lawyer and Advocate General of Maharashtra H.M. Seervai (Needle Industries case, the other was against former Attorney General Soli Sorabjee (Swadeshi Cotton Mills case). However, the case that allowed Nariman to escape the shadows of his illustrious father, (one of the greatest ever lawyers the nation has been graced with) was the He believes that the K.R. Laxmanan v. State of Tamil Nadu (1996), case in which a landmark judgement was delivered. “Some of the other important cases that he has been associated with include Khoday Distilleries Ltd v. The Scotch Whisky Association (2008). For the first time, the Supreme Court allowed the Khoday group to use the word ‘scotch’ on its premium whisky brand, Peter Scot. It rejected the liquor body’s allegation that the word ‘Scot’ was deceptively similar to ‘Scotch’, which led the consumers to believe that the product had a Scottish connection.”
Rohinton Nariman also wrote a landmark judgment where the “Supreme Court bench in March 2015, struck down Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, a provision that so far had been widely misused by the police to justify the arrests of Internet users for allegedly posting ‘offensive’ content on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. Stating that the provision was vaguely worded, which allowed for its misuse by the police, Rohinton said the law hit at the root of liberty and freedom of expression. ‘The section is unconstitutional also on the ground that it takes within its sweep protected speech, and speech that is innocent in nature, and is liable, therefore, to be used in such a way so as to have a chilling effect on free speech, and would have to be struck down on the ground of overbreadth,’ he ruled, while upholding the validity of Section 69B and the 2011 guidelines that allowed the government to block websites if their content had the potential to create communal disturbance, social disorder or affect India’s relationship with other countries.”
A lover of Mozart, Verdi, Bach and the like, Nariman has also been instrumental in setting up the Supreme Court Lawyers’ Welfare Trust, which works for the welfare of lawyers. The trust encourages young talent and supports less-privileged members of the Bar.
Prashant Bhushan is well known for his propensity to employ the instrument of Public Interest Litigation (“PIL”). A few disgruntled, genuinely so, voices have even termed him to be a mercenary of the PLI. But this indefatigable lawyer has kept at with a vigour bordering on the maniacal. Whether it be the PIL that had the impact of the Supreme Court declare as arbitrary and illegal, more than 204 government allocations of coal blocks to steel, cement and power companies since 1993, or the one where Prashant Bhushan Prashant “alleged that the Mukesh Ambani–run Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd had been given an undue benefit of more than Rs 20,000 crore by allowing it to offer voice services on its 4G spectrum by converting its Internet service provider (ISP) license into a unified access services license”, the PIL purveyor is in the think of the action. Prashant Bhushan was also involved in the 2G Spectrum scam, which the “Time” magazine listed as being second only to Watergate in so far as abuse of power was concerned. At the time of this review, Prashant Bhushan find himself at the risk of being reprimanded if not prosecuted by the Apex Court for a contempt of court matter.
Harish Salve represented Kulbushan Jadav, who is languishing in a jail in Pakistan, after being accused of spying charges, at the International Court of Justice and secured a resounding victory for India. The heart-warming aspect of this case being the fact that Salve charged just a token sum of INR1 for representing Jadav. An incorrigible Dilip Kumar tragic, Salve’s moment of glory came when he won a landmark decision in the Supreme Court that quashed a jaw dropping income tax demand of $2 billion on Vodafone. Early in his legal career, “Harish decided to relocate to Delhi to try his luck by setting up his practice at the Supreme Court, and joined J.B. Dadachandji & Co. as an intern. It was at this time that he got an opportunity to assist Palkhivala in the Minerva Mills case. Later, in 1980, it was Palkhivala who suggested that Harish join the chambers of senior counsel Soli Sorabjee, who later became the Attorney General of India in April 1991. After that, there was no looking back.” Solicitor General of India (SG) in 1999 during the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) regime, Salve held office till 2002. He was conferred the Padma Bhushan, the country’s third-highest civilian honour in 2015.
Abhishek Manu Singhvi was just thirty-four, when he was designated as a senior advocate. This made him India’s youngest ever senior advocate. With a stellar academic repute that included distinctions at St Columba’s School, St Stephen’s and Trinity College, Cambridge, Singhvi shot into fame by appearing in a raft of prominent cases. An Amicus Curiae in the D.K.Basu case on custodial deaths, representing Naveen Jindal in the right-to-fly-the-tricolour case, appearing in the NTC Bombay Mills case on urban environmental concerns, Mandal case on reservation for backward classes, and the Renusagar case on international commercial arbitration represent a few shiny feathers in Singhvi’s illustrious cap. In his capacity as the official spokesperson for the Indian National Congress, Singhvi spends a significant time in appearing on various discussions, deliberations and debates on social media and television.
During his college days, Mukul Rohatgi and two of his classmates had a routine to swear by. This continued years after their academic days. Rohatgi, former Finance Minister of India, the late Arun Jaitley and now a prominent lawyer Karanjawala would meet on Saturdays for lunch at Pickwicks, a restaurant at the Claridges Hotel. ‘I would regularly go out with Jaitley and Karanjawala. My father had gifted me his old Fiat car and we would all go gallivanting in it. The day would end with me dropping them to Dhaula Kuan. From there, Jaitley would take an autorickshaw to his house in Naraina, Karanjawala would take one to Saket”, recollects Rohatgi in an interview with the author. An imperious lawyer known for his ferocity in his arguments, Mukul Rohatgi was appointed the fourteenth AG of India in 2014. “The real turning point in his life was leaving the Delhi High Court and then doing cases on a larger canvas by working for the government and various PSUs, be it the 2G spectrum case, the coal scam, mining matters at the Special Forest Bench for Goa, Karnataka and Orissa, or cases of petrol pump cancellations. There were cases that would attract public attention, whether it meant appearing for yoga guru Baba Ramdev, or attending to complaints against Maharashtra politician Raj Thackeray—and that made all the difference.” A keen swimmer, Rohatgi is also a regular contributor to philanthropy. His altruism extends to generous contributions to the Blind Relief Association, Help Age India, and an orphanage in New Delhi.
Arvind Datar would be remembered by many as the lawyer who represented Michael Jackson. A Chennai-based producer filed a suit against the world-famous singer in the Madras High Court seeking an interim injunction against the singer’s concert, which was to be held in Mumbai. He wanted the singer and the organizers to furnish security for his claim for damages against Michael Jackson for breach of a contract that the singer had signed with him. Elaborate arguments later, “the Madras High Court refused to grant an injunction, and the historic concert took place in Mumbai. This was a major victory for Arvind as he was still not yet a senior.” Arvind Datar has one uncompromising principle which he follows even to this day. A refusal to visit the offices of any client or chartered accountant. Deriving inspiration from a famous legal personality K. Bhashyam Iyengar, who had refused to even meet the then British governor who had wanted to consult him on a personal matter, Datar began emulating Iyengar. As Ms. Bhan informs her readers, “one lawyer he particularly admired even as a student was R. Kesava Iyengar. Therefore, when the contempt case came up for hearing, he decided to brief him. They worked together for almost twenty days, and this was an unforgettable period of his life. ‘Although he was ninety-three years old at that time, his mind was razor-sharp. He gave me invaluable advice. For example, he told me that one should spend 60 per cent of one’s time in reading and preparation, and at least 40 per cent in thinking about the case.”
A man who enjoys traveling all over the world, Aryama Sundaram has a house in the picturesque hill station of Kodaikanal and loves the state of Goa as well. A man who quotes Kipling, Sundaram is one of India’s most vaunted and much wanted legal eagles. Enjoying a good career with the advertising and media company Ogilvy & Mather, Sundaram enrolled with the Madras Bar Council on 26 November 1980, and joined a law firm called King & Partridge. A tryst with a literature loving judge whose approbation Sundaram received after quoting Oscar Wilde, his career took an upward trajectory. Branching out on his own, he established Nataraj Rao, Raghu & Sundaram. Making his mark as a leading admiralty lawyer in the Madras High Court, Sundaram soon became a Senior in the Madras High Court. Some of the notable cases argued by this lawyer include the infamous IPL match fixing fiasco where he represented the BCCI and the 2G spectrum presidential reference where he was appointed by the Federation of the Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry to be their lawyer.
“Legal Eagles” is a thoroughly enjoyable read. However, my only grouse with the book is the absence of a woman. One name that instantly comes to mind is that of the mercurial Zia Mody. Hoping that the author brings out a sequel showcasing the legal talents of women lawyers and judges in India.
February 15, 2021
Why you should not read this book:
1. There are many big-shot lawyers who have made it on their own. However, it is very unfortunate that the author does not consider such luminaries as "Legal Eagles". This book can discourage a law student having no "legacy" in the field from pursuing a career in litigation.
2. Her criteria for selecting just these 7 names is very unclear even though she has explained it at the beginning.
3. The composition of content is not well thought of. It seems as if the author is merely summarizing. The book fails to keep the reader's mind engaged.
Why you should read this book:
1. If you have nothing else to read
1. There are many big-shot lawyers who have made it on their own. However, it is very unfortunate that the author does not consider such luminaries as "Legal Eagles". This book can discourage a law student having no "legacy" in the field from pursuing a career in litigation.
2. Her criteria for selecting just these 7 names is very unclear even though she has explained it at the beginning.
3. The composition of content is not well thought of. It seems as if the author is merely summarizing. The book fails to keep the reader's mind engaged.
Why you should read this book:
1. If you have nothing else to read
January 11, 2022
Riveting to the core! The stories are meticulously tempered with coruscating lessons to imbibe and the contours of law to devour. Written in a captivating manner being brilliantly interspersed with anecdotes, which I personally have a strong penchant for. Casts a spell of aspiration and delight!
May 23, 2019
Good inspirational book for lawyers and about some important cases of India.
May 27, 2022
A book on privileged upbringing of some famous Indian lawyers. Avoid it.
August 31, 2021
Honestly, I had a hard time finish this book. It contains some unnecessary details, repetition of stuff, and very poor coherence. What is most annoying is that the stress on the supra-privileged background of at least five of the top lawyers. It becomes interesting, inspiring and encouraging only in the chapters on Arvind Datar and Justice Nariman. I found it boring and difficult to complete.
Still it is a fine read, if you can manage to complete it.
Still it is a fine read, if you can manage to complete it.
August 28, 2023
Legal Eagles by Indu Bhan is a compelling blend of legal intricacies that takes readers on a captivating journey through the complex world of law and justice.
This is the collection of the stories of the Top Seven Indian legal professionals who are dedicated to seeking justice and upholding the law. Author’s in-depth knowledge of the legal system shines through, adding an authentic and immersive layer to the narrative. Through her characters, she explores not only the intricacies of courtroom drama but also the ethical dilemmas that lawyers often face.
One of the strengths of this book is its multi-dimensional characters. They come to life with their flaws, motivations, and personal struggles. This adds depth and relatability to the story, making readers emotionally invested in their fates. Moreover, it doesn't just focus on the legal proceedings; it delves into the personal lives of the characters, offering a more holistic view of their experiences. This adds an emotional layer to the story, giving readers a chance to connect with the characters beyond their professional roles.
This is the collection of the stories of the Top Seven Indian legal professionals who are dedicated to seeking justice and upholding the law. Author’s in-depth knowledge of the legal system shines through, adding an authentic and immersive layer to the narrative. Through her characters, she explores not only the intricacies of courtroom drama but also the ethical dilemmas that lawyers often face.
One of the strengths of this book is its multi-dimensional characters. They come to life with their flaws, motivations, and personal struggles. This adds depth and relatability to the story, making readers emotionally invested in their fates. Moreover, it doesn't just focus on the legal proceedings; it delves into the personal lives of the characters, offering a more holistic view of their experiences. This adds an emotional layer to the story, giving readers a chance to connect with the characters beyond their professional roles.
March 26, 2020
I was quite curious and excited to read about the lives of these eminent lawyers who have been a part of one or the other landmark case in our country.
While the book attempts a tapered and modest account of the rise of each lawyer to such a position, at many points, it reeks of excessive praise and comments made in hindsight.
A major takeaway is the bird’s eye introduction to a handful of cases that have had a large impact on politics, economy and society in independent India.
The book at best, gives a glimpse into the school called Indian judiciary and how the seven eagles have soared to power- cutting through and equally in collusion with the benefits of a privileged background and familial exposure.
While the book attempts a tapered and modest account of the rise of each lawyer to such a position, at many points, it reeks of excessive praise and comments made in hindsight.
A major takeaway is the bird’s eye introduction to a handful of cases that have had a large impact on politics, economy and society in independent India.
The book at best, gives a glimpse into the school called Indian judiciary and how the seven eagles have soared to power- cutting through and equally in collusion with the benefits of a privileged background and familial exposure.
February 16, 2021
The book is good as an overview of the top 7 (famous name) lawyers of India. My purpose of downloading this book was partially to get an idea of the Indian legal system and its famous personalities, and also to maybe get some of the court room drama, arguments and genius of the featured personalities. But this book is more of a overview from a biography point of view, giving the lawyers back stories rather than detailed narrative of the legal arguments employed in achieving those historic judgements.
April 8, 2022
Too much unnecessary and detailed descriptions of their lives. Additionally, very less description of how they built their practice. As I can see in other comments, I too agree that there would have been more 'Eagles' who had started from scratch without a background in law. That would have been more inspirational. In fact, some of their biographies seem discouraging to me.
One good thing about the way this book has been written is a very good classification of the contents. It helped me to identify and skip those parts, which were not very relevant to me at this stage.
One good thing about the way this book has been written is a very good classification of the contents. It helped me to identify and skip those parts, which were not very relevant to me at this stage.
February 24, 2023
Well, in my humble opinion which most might disagree is that the collegium system is a cool name for nepotism in the judiciary.
I am not denying the fact that all the so called super talented, million earning lawyers who most of the time have zero regard for law itself or basic mannerisms must have worked really hard to reach these levels but without slightest of doubt they had some mighty privileged background.
Who gets straight to the chamber of the Seervai?
You need right connections to pull the strings in correct way.
Book follows a set pattern and reading is fun.
Yes, they are eagles and flying high over all others but would have loved if author somehow could have managed to chronicle lawyers who didn't had privileged background. Not a single ladies lawyer worth consideration?
I am not denying the fact that all the so called super talented, million earning lawyers who most of the time have zero regard for law itself or basic mannerisms must have worked really hard to reach these levels but without slightest of doubt they had some mighty privileged background.
Who gets straight to the chamber of the Seervai?
You need right connections to pull the strings in correct way.
Book follows a set pattern and reading is fun.
Yes, they are eagles and flying high over all others but would have loved if author somehow could have managed to chronicle lawyers who didn't had privileged background. Not a single ladies lawyer worth consideration?
September 7, 2022
Recommended reading for the author (and for anyone interested in knowing how a 30-50 page profile should be done) The Caravan Book of Profiles
June 25, 2017
Read within a week. Written with a brilliant strategy, the book gives an insight into lives of grandmasters of the field, beautifully intricated with their childhood, academics and of course the professional lives.
Must read for any law student!
Must read for any law student!
July 21, 2019
I think every budding lawyer should read it to set a target for themselves and I recommend it as a lawyer myself. Nicely written but if you are thinking to upgrade your skill as a lawyer then this book is not for u. Do read it to think big and deliver.
July 28, 2021
"An Infomative and Inspiring book"
The book gave me opportunity to peep into the working style of great masters. I would recommend the book to the young people attracted by the legal profession.
The book gave me opportunity to peep into the working style of great masters. I would recommend the book to the young people attracted by the legal profession.
September 23, 2021
Definitely inspiring to read about the legends. Felt could have been more intimate/ or gone the other way and been more legal. Felt a bit generic by the end. The chapter on Arvind Datar was the best. Felt like I learned an important lesson from each person‘s life.
February 1, 2022
Pretty good read.
This book has some great stuff to look for if you are even a bit fascinated by the Legal field. Language is good and engaging.
Case studies at the end of the chapter are amazing to read.
This book has some great stuff to look for if you are even a bit fascinated by the Legal field. Language is good and engaging.
Case studies at the end of the chapter are amazing to read.
April 8, 2022
Highly inspirational, motivational, and gives an insight on how the personal lives of the top lawyers is havoc and how do they balance everything.
It seems famous personalities have a fancy life, but it ain't something easy to achieve, there's s backstage of people working tirelessly, endlessly, to achieve what they dreamt of.
Highly recommended to all the budding lawyers.
It seems famous personalities have a fancy life, but it ain't something easy to achieve, there's s backstage of people working tirelessly, endlessly, to achieve what they dreamt of.
Highly recommended to all the budding lawyers.
May 7, 2017
Good compilation but lacks important details.
It is a good introductory overview but that's all.
It is a good introductory overview but that's all.
July 1, 2017
I expected details of the case more than their personal life.
Their professional behaviour is what can be take away, with a slight understanding of some of the big cases in India.
Their professional behaviour is what can be take away, with a slight understanding of some of the big cases in India.
February 19, 2019
Good, but lot of unnecessary details.
June 30, 2019
A basic read, gives you insight to the life of these lawyers but seems like a drag after a while.
September 26, 2019
Book only covers the routines, important cases and bit of there life achievements, what i missed in this book is some tips by this great lawyers to enhance our skills, rest this book is worth to read
April 28, 2020
A decent insight of the world of the top lawyers. The author doesn’t seem to have probed them too hard. It feels like the author was just on the receiving end of what the lawyers were feeding.
April 30, 2020
It no where comes close to telling 'stories' of the Indian Lawyers it captures. It tries to put in challenges in stories where there are none.
July 9, 2020
I think it's a fantastic read for not only young lawyers but also for all members of the bar.
Motivating, captivating and breathtaking.
Motivating, captivating and breathtaking.
November 25, 2020
Must read to know about legal stalwarts
May 16, 2021
Didn't learn much from this book. Avoid it if you can
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