Introduction:
Advocacy is the best and most respected profession that is directly connected to the legal and judiciary system as a pillar. An advocate must have some good qualities and skills that enable him to provide better benefits to clients, society, and people who seek justice.
Here, we can not see the legal profession in a narrow sense; it exists in large and various forms. The legal profession maintains good relationships and balances between the bar and bench, which is the base of justice.
In this article, we discuss some essential qualities and skills, including seven lamps of advocacy, which advocates must possess before choosing the legal profession.
Seven Lamps of Advocacy:
(1) Honesty:
As a human being, honesty is of good quality; it builds solid moral self-confidence to improve sound quality work with good ethics. Every advocate works hard and is passionate about their profession. These qualities enable him to gain the trust of the client’s genuineness.
The advocate works with different people and subjects; therefore, he must be straightforward and provide true and honest guidance to his client. Honesty plays an important role in increasing his practice areas.
An advocate should know that illegal practice is one kind of professional misconduct. That way, they can avoid doing an illegal practice that may cause the result of professional misconduct in later stages.
(2) Courage:
Courage is the second most important quality. It enables an advocate to cover up any critical situation and control the fear of danger. Because of this ability, an advocate can avoid all types of fear, such as danger, pain, loss, etc.
People and society give special attention to advocates due to their courage. Of course, to develop that ability, an advocate must become fearless, never sitting on the last bench but always sitting on the first bench.
Due to his courage, knowledge, and self-confidence, he can protect his clients and handle all kinds of critical situations on behalf of his clients.
(3) Industry:
The life of an advocate is an industry. Accordingly, we can say that only a well-trained advocate becomes successful in his profession. He must be deeply studied, like an actor who studies for the best performance of his part and dedicates his best qualities with passion and hard work.
The advocate must know that there is no shortcut key to success. He must do hard work to achieve that. He should be constantly aware of legal subjects and the latest updates. For that, he needs to deep-research the laws according to his practice areas.
Remember, his lack of knowledge of the laws can destroy his future as an advocate. He must be updated with the current amendments or enforcement of laws in any country or state.
He must beset his life with that quote: “the lawyers are always learner during in his life.”
(4) Wit:
Wit means to represent ideas with full confidence and cleverness with a moral spirit. It comes to an advocate through a better understanding of truth, and it helps him quickly analyze all critical situations.
It helps an advocate manage a lighter workload in his busy and routine life. This skill enables him to present effective arguments on behalf of his client. He can have good conversations with the judge and convince him of the significant facts of the case. An advocate can easily reduce his stress, and he can always be confident about the verdict in favor of his client.
(5) Eloquence:
Eloquence is a Great ability that every advocate must have. Here is the basic meaning of eloquence: the talent of fluent speaking with attractive, skillful language. That skill enables him to impress everyone, including the judge. It will attract the listener.
Eloquence is an art of speech that skill can develop in advocating by practicing topical subjects. One thing is to note that there is some difference between speaking and the art of speaking.
This skill makes his words more powerful, which helps him build self-confidence. As a result, he can easily get a verdict in his favor.
In advocacy, eloquence covers two sides: physical and psychological. The skill of eloquence adds more value to his arguments. That’s the way he can easily impress the court.
(6) Judgment:
Here, judgment means making the right decision at the right time. This lamp allows advocates to instantly make the right decision in any situation.
The ability to make a judgment is based on every case’s facts and legal technicalities. This quality helps to take proper and necessary action during the case or trial, which also assists them in saving time while preparing a brief of the case.
Judgment is the most crucial lamp among the seven lamps of advocacy. It develops his mind at an advanced level of decision-makers from all sides of the case.
The advocate will consider all possibilities of the whole side of the case. Through this skill, he can develop his mind on how to present the case and conclude what kind of result he can get in his favor.
(7) Fellowship :
In a simple term, fellowship means joining any association or organization. A lawyer must be a member of different associations, such as the local bar association, the state bar, the bar council of India, and organizations or companies connected to society and the nation.
While there are discussions regarding the fellowship, it is the most effective and influential among the seven lamps. Through that fellowship, the advocate can connect with a large community of his profession. Being a fellowship, he could develop a good and healthy relationship with other advocates.
As we know, during the trial, the advocate always opposes the opposite advocate by finding a controversy and contradiction. However, as a community member, it does not affect the fellowship.
Regarding fellowship, the State Bar Council and the Bar Council of India have preferred some rules and specified the duty of advocates with colleagues. This fellowship enables advocates to help each other by sharing knowledge and encouraging each other, which builds a strong relationship between them.
(8) Tact:
When we talk about the seven lamps of advocacy, tact, which Mr. K.V. Krishnaswamy Aiyer adds in his book Professional Conduct and Advocacy, is another lamp that we should never ignore.
In other words, tact is the ability to deal with people and situations skillfully and smoothly without being offensive.
An advocate is always in advance to get the result in favor of his client. He should behave politely to the opposite party and his advocate with control of his mind. Do not become angry with them, not even the court or outside the court.
He must maintain his good image in court and with the opposite party. If he offends them by losing his mental temper, it should have a poor impact on his case and his character. That’s why the lamp of tact enables him to handle his work with dignity and a smooth nature.
