Privilege in the legal world

Iqbal Chagla, such a legend in Indian legal history. What tenacity and integrity! I grew up in awe of the big names of Indian legal history. 

But I have also always had mixed feelings about the illustrious legal families - the Chaglas, Chandrachuds, Jethmalanis... Even our current CJI Sanjeev Khanna comes from a long lineage of prominent lawyers. (His uncle was Justice H.R. Khanna, the legend who spoke truth to power during the Emergency with a dissenting opinion in the ADM Jabalpur case and thereby lost his opportunity to become CJI. The last CJI D.Y. Chandrachud's father, Y.V. Chandrachud, was also on that same bench and was part of the majority opinion.) 

Coming back, like politics, it always felt like a famous last name was the best leg-up you could have in legal circles. Privilege really helps in what is otherwise a cut-throat field. I have often consoled myself by thinking that privileged though they may be, with each new generation, at least they help liberalise our legal approach. And while I was happy to see our last CJI D.Y. Chandrachud take office, I feel he had a mixed legacy at best - the Ayodhya case being the starkest.

(Pic credit: internet)