Name of Legal Stalwart: Advocate Rajiv Wason

Area of Practice: Taxation

Region of Practice: Uttarakhand

The Interviewer, Monika Rahar is a 2nd Year student of Chandigarh University, Mohali, Punjab. She is currentlty interning with LatestLaws.com.

 In this interview, he shared his views on his journey as a lawyer, dynamic approach adopted law schools, strengths of Indian Legal System and a word of advice for the new generation of lawyers and legal enthusiasts to come.  Q1. Tell us something about your early childhood and schooling?

Well, I belonged to a regular middle class family. As far as my education is concerned, I completed my graduation from Public Inter College and studied subjects like Political Science, Civics and Psychology, which later became very instrumental in developing my inclination towards pursuing law as a career. I was an avid supporter of extra co-curricular activities and was very active participant in the same. These activities helped me to a great extent in shaping and developing my personality and skills demanded by my profession. I was very much into debating and the skill of oration that I developed back then has and still is helping me a lot.

 

Q2. Are you a first generation lawyer?

Yes, I am a first generation lawyer of my family. Now my son Siddhartha Wason is also a lawyer practicing under Rajiv Wason advocates (my chamber).

 

Q3. When did you decide to pursue law as a profession and why?

As I told you, I studied Political Science, Civics and Psychology during my graduation. These subjects laid foundation of my interest in taking up law as my career. Furthermore, my brother was a Sales Tax Officer and he also supported and backed my interest. Therefore influenced my interest in these areas of study and my brother’s advice, I decided to pursue law.

 

Q4. How was your experience in law school?

Law schools back then did not have that good infrastructure in terms of the facilities provided, design of the syllabus, subjects taught and curriculum adopted, that are available in law schools now. However, I was blessed with extremely knowledgeable, intellectual and helpful faculty members who guided me throughout my study.

Q5. How do you think that the law school education has changed since then?

I would say law schools now have adopted a more dynamic and practical approach towards the courses offered. We did not have integrated courses and also the options of subjects taught were limited to conventional areas of laws. Now law students have lot more options, lot many new specialization let’s in say Marine and Environment law or Sports Law or Cyber Law (to name a few) being offered and lot many new career avenues to dive into.

Law Schools have definitely undergone a drastic change in terms of the syllabus taught, curriculum adopted and the attention given to practical aspects of law by making moot courts, internships, MUNing, Debating, drafting and so on, an integral part of the course.

 

Q6. Would you like to share any experience of your first day/ case in court?

Just as every lawyer who walks into a court for the first time, I was nervous and excited. Fortunately I had guidance of my learned mentor; K L Maheshwari, who took great care of me and guided me. I entered Court as a naïve young boy, but came out as more professionally equipped young advocate with a lot more knowledge, understanding and confidence to proceed further in career.

 

Q7. Please share two or three memorable cases you dealt with in your journey as an advocate?

I am a taxation lawyer and as mentioned before my brother was Sales Tax Officer. To me and many people who knew him, he was a great person who got tremendous respect from everyone. He died before I started practicing. He played a very important role in shaping my interest to take up this profession and it is a moment of immense pride for me whenever I was and still am recognized by his name.  Also, once I was told by a veteran lawyer that my mentor used to consider me as his son and would call so, in front of everyone.

 

Q8. What according to you are the three strengths of Indian Legal System that make it the strongest pillar of democracy?

The following three I feel are the strengths of Indian Legal System;

  1. Judiciary is the apex body of Justice and nothing else. Judges work honestly to make sure that justice prevails.
  2. Our entire legal system is based on the principle that no innocent should suffer.
  3. In order to avoid any biasness, it is based on facts.

 

 Q9. What according to you are the areas where legal system in our country has to improve?

I feel the biggest area that needs reform is speedy trial. I feel the amount of time that a case takes is too much. In many cases an innocent person, who approached court with a ray of hope to get justice, is more harassed by the long legal battle that he has to fight in order to claim justice.

 

Q10. What is your wise advice and success mantra for young legal professions?

I would want to say to all the young professionals and legal enthusiast out there, work hard and smart. Be earnest in your work and work with utmost sincerity. As today’s generation is changing with a very fast pace and so are their principles and believe system, so I would just want to say, be sincere and honest in what you do and above all never let humanity die in you and respect every human being.

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