In Conversation With Advocate Jayant Bhatt, Supreme Court of India

Mr Bhatt, would you please tell our readers what motivated you to study law? What were the initial formative years of your exceptional professional career like?

As a young student, I wasn’t very good at my chosen stream of Science but I was always drawn to the arts and logic. Law as a subject seemed to encompass the two aspects very holistically and so I decided to pursue a subject which not only spoke to my natural sensibilities but also seemed challenging and enriching in equal aspects as a profession in life. 

So far as the formative years go they were very enriching. I was privileged to have worked at the best law offices and learn from great lawyers all around. All of them have different traits and I like to imbibe all those positives in my practice today. 

It is said that success is easy to achieve but difficult to sustain. What has helped you achieve and sustain success over a long period of time?

I don’t see success as something one achieves at one point in their life. Contrary to popular opinion, I believe that success isn’t a pinnacle or a peak; it’s a way of life. If one dedicates one’s life to doing what they are passionate about and work hard towards it with a balancing act of steadfastness and ingenuity then I believe that the journey has been successful. If you look at success as a room to enter then achieving and sustaining success will be a narrow endeavour. Thus, it’s one’s attitude towards success which sustains success. In my professional career, I strive to work hard, not be complacent, set goals, but above all, I constantly push myself to be better than I was yesterday. Since success at the end of the day is about how much of your “potential” you have actualised. 

Your legal career has been nothing short of an inspiration for many aspiring and young legal professionals. Who are the mentors that you have looked up to and admired? How have they helped you in shaping your career?

Well, mentorship is something that you learn indirectly from the professionals. People who you work under in the formative years are already busy. If you are lucky they will train you and make you learn certain tricks. However by and large learning is a constant process one has to undergo oneself. Hence I can’t name a single person but will sum it up by saying that I have learnt from my setbacks and success by being around different people under different circumstances.

How do you see litigation changing post pandemic?

I am very hopeful that litigation shall change for the better post pandemic. The Pandemic has shown everybody that the mundane and supplementary tasks of litigation which take up most of the time in court can be accomplished in a faster and more efficient manner by way of technology, be it filing or court appearances through video conferencing. The main areas of expertise of a litigation lawyer are thinking, research, arguing, drafting and these are areas which can be given more time and energy now.  This I hope shall bring forth a new dawn in litigation even after the regular working of the court resumes. 

What are your views on Media Trials in light of the ongoing Sushant Singh Rajput case? 

I believe that the influx of information has led to what’s popularly known as “an information epidemic”. People have all this information at their fingertips from every possible source of media that they have become the judge, jury and executioner of every case which comes into the limelight. Media trials definitely hamper the ongoing investigation into cases as they tend to prejudice the nature of an ongoing trial. I think the only way around it is to know your rights in case one is maligned by the media, to know your duties and responsibilities as a sensitive citizen of the country and not to spread disinformation in an ongoing case. 

Would demarcating cases that need virtual hearing and those which don’t help? If so, what should be the criteria? 

I don’t believe there should be any strict demarcation as the technology behind virtual hearings are evolving rapidly and since it is done in real-time, it is up to the prerogative of the judge, the quantum of the case, the urgency of the matter. There can even be a mix of the two in regards to some cases. Whichever method provides the most clarity and efficiency in the particular case is the best way, this differs from case to case. 

What are your views on training juniors and fresh law graduates in a virtual setup?

As part of the internship programme at my chambers, we have a virtual internship programme as of now. In my experience, Juniors and fresh law graduates are eager to acquire knowledge in the legal field and the virtual setup in this Covid-19 era has at least paved the way for that. 

Also, we need more engagement by the industry to encourage the involvement of fresh entrants to enable a continuous stream of learning. However, that will be an automatic outcome of proper broadband reach to the remotest corner so that the everyone benefits by the last-mile reach of justice delivery. 

You have done your LLM from New York and you have also worked with Clyde & Co before returning to India. How crucial is it to gain an understanding of multiple legal systems for lawyers today?

In this age of globalisation, with rapid technology evolving along-side every aspect of law, knowledge of different systems of law is always an advantage. As a lawyer, I feel, it is in the very marrow of our profession that we must constantly learn and apply that learning to our professional lives. With a greater understanding of how different systems work we can not only advise a larger clientele but also appreciate and apply some traits learned from those systems in our own domestic systems wherever applicable. 

Do you still get time to pursue your hobbies? Would you please recommend any movies, or books that have had a profound impact on you?

Sometimes. I am a simple person and pass my time by being on OTTs, social media and reading fiction. As of now, I am watching Emily in PARIS on Netflix, reading Ken Follet’s The Evening and the Morning. So yes I can definitely recommend these two. 

What would be your one message for the aspiring and young lawyers of tomorrow?

In this constantly changing world, be it society, the technology or COVID-19, the phrase “change is the only constant” is quite apt. My message to the aspiring young lawyers today would be to learn to constantly focus on their own evolution and path, to always be inspired by whatever they are passionate about and use that to fuel their hard work. It is important to develop your personality and perspective towards life as that will be your very own unique perspective and that will motivate you towards whatever it is you strive to achieve in your lifetime. Whether in the field of law or outside, perseverance and a belief in the self, even when everything around you is changing is necessary.

Interviewed on November 9, 2020