The BCI had earlier issued a circular in October 2024, addressed to all state bar councils and bar associations, regarding the minimum stipend recommended for junior advocates who are associated with advocates, senior advocates, or law firms.
The Indian Express also spoke to a retired Supreme Court judge and several senior and junior lawyers to get their views on the development.
Recommendatory in nature: Retired Judge
Retired Supreme Court Judge Abhay S Oka highlighted that this circular of the Bar Council of India is ‘recommendatory in nature” and said, “I have my own doubts about the implementation of the recommendation.”
He also added that the legal profession has become “very lucrative” in metropolitan cities and said, “First-generation lawyers hesitate to join traditional legal practice because some senior lawyers either do not pay a stipend or pay one that is not enough to make ends meet”.
He further mentioned that in the absence of any statutory provision supporting the exercise of powers to fix a minimum stipend, the state bar councils will have to take up the matter with district and taluka court bar associations, requesting them to implement the recommendation of the Bar Council of India.
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“The only real option will be to have a statutory framework for the payment of a stipend,” Justice Oka added.
Allows for sustenance, a level playing field: Senior lawyers
Welcoming the scheme, Former Additional Solicitor General of India and Senior Advocate Sidharth Luthra said, “It is a noble profession and young lawyers need sustenance and dignity. But along with this, senior members of the Bar must also be sensitised by Bar Councils to be generous to young advocates who train under them.”
Former Additional Solicitor General of India and Senior Advocate Pinky Anand said, “It is commendable that the government has chosen to encourage young budding lawyers who need the support of the government for motivation, survival and growth. Such schemes form the base of nurturing the youth and give a level playing field.”
Senior Advocate Vikas Pahwa also welcomed the initiative, calling it a “much-needed” step.
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“The early years at the Bar are often marked by intense hard work, long hours of learning, and limited financial stability, and structured support can play a meaningful role in enabling young professionals to sustain themselves while building competence and integrity in the profession. The recommendation of the Bar Council of India prescribing a minimum stipend reflects an important acknowledgement of ground realities,” he said.
Pahwa, however, cautioned that for such a measure to have a real impact, it must be accompanied by a practical and uniform implementation framework across states, with the “active involvement” of State Bar Councils, Bar Associations, and, where feasible, institutional support from governments.
Former Punjab Advocate General and Senior Advocate Gurminder Singh also appreciated and embraced this recommendation, stating that it is important to incentivise the junior lawyers in this profession.
“This not only encourages them to deliver professionally but also helps them tide over the initial struggling years,” Singh said.
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Senior Advocate Sanjoy Ghose said, “It is indeed a very welcome step and shall go a long way toward democratisation of the Bar as first-generation lawyers shall benefit from some financial support in an ecosystem where a junior lawyer earns less than even a security guard.”
Senior Advocate Sajan Poovayya called Meghwal’s statement “a constructive acknowledgement of a long-felt reality” within the legal profession.
“The formative years of practice are marked not merely by apprenticeship, but by economic fragility. Many capable young lawyers, particularly first-generation entrants, face pressures that threaten to truncate promising careers before they mature. If access to the profession becomes contingent upon private means, the Bar risks losing both diversity and depth,” he added.
Going forward, Poovayya wants a thoughtful augmentation to be kept in mind on the various factors, including a structured mentorship certification mechanism, transparent compliance and audit systems under State Bar Councils, incentivised participation by chambers and law firms, targeted assistance for underrepresented entrants and court-linked research and clerkship pathways.
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“The vitality of constitutional democracy depends upon a Bar that is independent, intellectually rigorous, and socially representative. Supporting junior advocates is, in truth, strengthening the Republic’s justice architecture,” added Poovayya.
Must be reviewed every year, say juniors
Terming it a “much needed and long overdue step” towards giving junior lawyers a basic sense of dignity and economic security, Mumbai-based advocate Mahir Amir said, “When I started out, I personally received offers as low as Rs 5,000 a month in a city like Delhi, which makes it almost impossible for young lawyers to sustain themselves, let alone grow professionally.”
He opined that the stipend amount is still relatively much lower for urban cities, but added, “The Bar Council’s recommendation acknowledges a structural problem that the profession has ignored for far too long and that in itself is commendable. This should only be seen as a starting point, not a finish line, the stipend framework must be reviewed and strengthened year on year to reflect rising costs, regional realities, and the need to retain talent within the legal profession.”
Arvind, a practising advocate before the Madras High Court, said, “Though the BCI has recommended a minimum stipend, the recommendation is only advisory in nature and not backed by any statutory mandate. Further, there is presently no uniform definition or eligibility criterion for identifying a ‘junior advocate’, which may create serious implementation and verification challenges.”
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Ananya Pattabhiraman, who also practises at the Madras High Court, said the scheme targets inclusivity. “The legal profession should be open to all holding merits and not just those privileged to work for a stipend less than admirable, without worrying about making ends meet. This is aligned with the reason for the reduction of enrolment fees, which at one point was higher than the monthly stipend young lawyers could expect. The real question is, will other states follow suit?”
“All things good have a cost, so while the feasibility of any such progressive policy needs to be duly weighed, it needs no elaboration that the entry barriers to the legal profession remain among the tallest and the most daunting across all professions, thereby creating disparities of rather disturbing proportions. The difficulty faced by young lawyers of modest means cannot be overstated,” said Amarjeet, a practising advocate at Patna High Court and junior counsel to Additional Solicitor General Dr Krishna Nandan Singh.
“The intent of such a scheme needs to be lauded, and its execution encouraged, if the legal fraternity hopes to walk the talk when it comes to exemplifying the ‘ideal of egalite’,” he added.
“It is a much welcome move for freshly enrolled advocates, as we all know that litigation is not a high-paying, salaried job, and freshers, especially those not having adequate financial support from family, struggle to meet basic needs. The respective Bar councils and associations must ensure their implementation in true letter and spirit,” said Khushboo Kataruka, who practises at the Jharkhand High Court.
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Some states have introduced stipend for juniors
It was further pointed out that states, including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand, have introduced stipend and financial assistance measures for junior advocates through state government schemes, state bar council welfare mechanisms or structured programmes of bar associations.
Concerning the implementation of such a stipend scheme in Maharashtra, the notice clarified that any stipend scheme on the state level would typically require an implementation framework at the level of the state Bar Council and state government-supported programme, including budgetary backing, eligibility criteria, verification and audit.
2024 circular, recommendations
In July 2024, the Delhi High Court directed the BCI to decide on a minimum stipend for junior advocates. Hearing the plea of advocate Simran Kumari, it directed the BCI to treat it as a representation and decide on the matter in six weeks.
Subsequently, 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. However, several junior advocates found the stipend amount a little less.
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The BCI circular dated October 15, 2024, read: “These amounts will be subject to periodic review based on economic conditions and feedback from the legal community. However, it is recognised that not all senior advocates or firms have the same earning capacity or opportunities, and, therefore, these guidelines should be applied flexibly based on individual circumstances.”
Senior lawyers and bar associations appreciated the move at the time. However, they also mentioned that its implementation would be difficult.
With inputs from Sumit Kumar Singh
