‘Long hours, high pressure — but there’s comfort in helping people’: Inside the lives of young lawyers in Delhi

“We often work a year or two without pay, even after graduating. Coming from a reputed college helps a little, and strong English and communication skills give some added leverage — but neither compares to the advantage of being a third-generation lawyer,” says Kunal.

In the bustling corridors of Delhi’s courts, hundreds like Kunal, armed with a law degree and ambition, are carving out their place in the legal profession.

The Capital has 1.65 lakh registered advocates, according to the Bar Council of Delhi’s (BCD) website. And there has been a surge in young blackcoats entering the field. Between 2015 and last November, 98,500 new lawyers — many of them young graduates — have been enrolled in various bodies in Delhi’s lower courts, according to data gathered from the BCD.

For several lawyers, especially those with families, the low pay is a sticking point.

“I’m married with two kids,” says a 29-year-old first-generation advocate.

“I have three brothers who earn handsomely… My wife and mother taunt me. I try to explain to my mother that in this profession, it takes a very long time to start earning a good income. She always replies ‘How much longer? It has already been so long’,” says the advocate who graduated from Gautam Buddha University (in Noida) and lives in a village near Noida Sector 100.

“Our lives are contingent on finding a good senior advocate to work under.”

Law firms exploit us, adds the 29-year-old. “They pay us Rs 20,000-30,000, but they make us work like donkeys… It’s much better to practice independently. If we get even one good case, we can earn in a month what the law firm pays us annually.”

Last July, the Delhi High Court directed the Bar Council of India (BCI) to decide a minimum stipend for junior advocates. Following this, in October 2024, the BCI issued a circular recommending payment of Rs 20,000 as a minimum stipend in urban areas and Rs 15,000 in rural areas for junior advocates.

Former Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, last November, also spoke out in support of the BCI’s proposal to have a minimum stipend for junior lawyers.
But for most, that figure is symbolic.
“It’s peanuts,” says a 27-year-old advocate practicing at Rouse Avenue and Patiala House courts. “Moreover, this is just a recommendation; it is not binding. Many lawyers leave their hometowns and come to Delhi, where renting a room costs Rs 15,000 a month. Our travel expenses are 6,000 a month. How can we survive on Rs 20,000?”

Even basic infrastructure is scarce. Delhi’s lower courts have just 7,800 chambers — for more than 1.6 lakh lawyers.

“I don’t have a chamber,” says a 25-year-old advocate who is from Agra and has graduated from a college affiliated with Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. “I just put a chair and table anywhere I can. It’s a makeshift arrangement.”

For women advocates, the struggle extends beyond courtrooms. Advocate Neha, 32, describes the early years in litigation as not just financially difficult but also riddled with gender bias. However, she says it’s a challenging but rewarding field.

“In a male-dominated field like litigation, one of the main struggles is gaining client trust, as many prefer male lawyers due to assumptions of authority. The early years are financially tough, with lower pay than the industry standard, requiring constant negotiation for fair compensation. And litigation is highly demanding — there are long hours, high pressure, and a need to always be on top of things,” says Neha.

But she adds that she finds comfort in helping people. “What keeps me going is the relief and results we bring to clients who otherwise couldn’t afford legal help… Additionally, connecting with like-minded people and working alongside others with the same passion and intellect makes the journey rewarding.”

Ayushi Rajput, 30, echoes Neha.

“The challenges a woman aspiring to be an advocate faces start at home. Even after years in the profession, she is still expected to get back to a comparatively less challenging ‘job’ like judiciary or in-house counsel in a PSU or an MNC.”

“The real war, however, begins when it comes to building a reputation and trust with litigants — that you can fight their case at the same level and with the same strength as your male counterparts would do,” she says.

She adds, “But the legal profession offers immense exposure. We get to work with people from all walks of life — that’s what motivates me.”

Advocate Rehan Khan (30), another first-generation lawyer, says one has to know that the initial four to five years will be a struggle. “Mindset banana padega. Corporate me phir bhi theek hai. But aapko court jaane ko nahi milta hai. Personal matters nahi karte. (It’s a mindset. Things are better in corporate law, but you don’t get to go to court then.)”

For Khan, the motivation comes from passion. “I can’t emphasise this enough. Another key driver is the ability to build connections and eventually practice independently. This brings both financial and emotional freedom — something few other professions can offer. Sometimes, in a day, senior advocates earn up to Rs 15 lakh. Many established lawyers who are not seniors can also easily earn Rs 2-3 lakh a day,” he adds.

He notes that the video conferencing (VC) facility has been a major relief for juniors, who spend their days attending multiple hearings, sometimes in far-flung courts. “VC has reduced a lot of the running around. Now we appear physically only when absolutely necessary.”

Senior Advocate H S Phoolka, a renowned lawyer who has represented victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots for decades, offers a word of advice for young blackcoats: “Watch proceedings carefully even if you’re not in that matter. Don’t waste a lot of time in the canteen… Always remember that an opportunity to argue is much more precious than the fees… those who think opportunities will keep coming will miss out and have stagnant career paths. Those who grab every opportunity as a youngster will grow successful.”

Phoolka, who hails from Punjab, has spent 44 years in the legal profession.

He recounts how he started an independent practice within four months of getting his licence. “My uncle was relatively wealthy and supported me financially. But he used to work with a plethora of lawyers that I had to compete with. Most of these lawyers were much more senior to me,” he says.

“Once, I briefed a counsel who asked how long I’d been practicing. When I said six months, he was surprised and amused,” Phoolka chuckles. “He even called his son in disbelief to tell him about it.”

On November 5, 1999, he was designated a senior advocate at the age of 44 years.

“I never lost hope… and I kept pushing,” says Phoolka, now 70.

A 27-year advocate, who completed his law degree from Jamia Millia Islamia, puts it succinctly: “We work for 14 hours a day — often without pay. Only we know the ordeals we face… but in the end, I convince myself that my future will be bright.”

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