It was the year 1999, a Legal Head of a Public Sector Undertaking asked me in quite a challenging tone, “Can you get a quick legal opinion from Mr. Soli J. Sorabjee, the Attorney General of India?” I paused for a moment while he kept on staring at me and I confidently said, “I will get the legal opinion”.
It was my first year of practice and I had no idea where the AG’s office was or how I would even get access to him as these were just my initial days in the legal profession after having been unsuccessful in the IAS interview of 1998 but I was certain to complete the assignment assigned to me for which I was given 3 days by the client.
With virtually no files and post-marriage responsibilities to cope with, a breakthrough in the legal field had become extremely critical for me. I was fed up of going to the Delhi High Court day after day, on my 10-year-old Priya scooter, in the hope that I would be appointed as a local commissioner in some matter.
It was with a lot of courage that I started my search for the Legendary Soli J. Sorabjee. I went to the Supreme Court and asked someone where Mr. Sorabjee’s office was. There were no emails, neither a system of court passes nor WhatsApp in those days and thus I was told by someone after a lot of effort that he was arguing in Court No. 2. As I rushed to the court room, the unassuming Soli came out around lunch time. I introduced myself and kept on walking with him. Seeing my desperation, he immediately calmed me down and motivated me to create a draft of the opinion, highlighting all important points after which he reframed and revised it into a great legal opinion. I came back home with the signed copy of the opinion in the next two days. I managed to meet the 3-day deadline given by the Central Government PSU and my confidence was sky rocketing. I was so grateful to Soli and was jumping with joy not realizing what was awaiting me.
After a week, a registered post was received at my home with a heavy invoice! I used to stay in Mayur Vihar during those days with a minimal monthly expense of only Rs. 5,000. Upon receiving the invoice, I was shaken and did not understand why it was raised in my name. I rushed to the PSU only to receive another round of shock. The legal head rebuked me and questioned as to why I had not fixed the fee before taking the opinion. The Legal Head remarked “We can’t pay so much. Could you politely request Soli to reduce it, if possible?” Completely out of sorts, I took my scooter and hurried back to Sorabjee’s office at Sundar Nagar. With a sad look, I shared my predicament with him just hoping that he would understand. The graceful Soli immediately instructed his stenographer to reduce the fees. My entire professional learning was shaped by this one experience. Starting from the drafting of an opinion to understanding the value of a senior’s time- it was a complete package! Even asking a senior about something in the corridors is of value and there is a fee for it all.
The second encounter was in the year 2006. There used to be a regular forest bench in the Supreme Court every Friday. I was in court despite a high fever, to appear in a road diversion matter for Corbett National Park. While Harish Salve was amicus and the Central Empowered Committee of the Supreme Court was making a representation, I, being part of an NGO, which had filed a few applications, was sitting at the rear bench which was normally not occupied by lawyers. Soli walked in post lunch, at 2:15 PM, looked at me, and trying hard to recognize, he mumbled softly, “Why are you sitting here?” I sprang up immediately from my seat. “You should be on your legs, young man! This is for clients,” he gently chided me.
But as soon as he came to know of my indisposition, his soft nature was revealed. “Just give a seat to this young boy,” he instructed a senior lawyer occupying a front seat. I cannot express how reassuring these words were for me then. I was surprised at how connected he was with his ecosystem.
After I had become an established lawyer post 2012, I had a couple of very close interactions with Soli at the U.S. Embassy get togethers, especially those functions which related to the alumni of the most coveted International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP). We both were invitees for the U.S. Government’s highest opinion making International Visitors’ Leadership Programme. The eloquent lawyer opened up to young lawyers during those evenings. “You must cherish your personal milestones, especially your birthdays.” he said to me. He also shared his love for personal time, hobbies and why he waited for his birthday parties.
Soli was full of life, gregarious, warm and friendly to both the young and the old alike. One never felt intimidated by his erudition and acumen. A disciplined lawyer, a champion of freedom of speech and expression and a great protector of human rights, Sorabjee was honoured with the Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award in India, for his outstanding services.
However, to me, he was special for he served as the entry point in my life to a successful career. He enabled me to dream big. He was the first and the only Attorney General I have interacted with. His gracious and dignified approach in 1999 left such a mark on me such that it lifted my spirits to excel in the legal profession.
Once, during an interaction that I, along with Sridhar Potaraju, the Supreme Court lawyer had with Soli in the Supreme Court corridor, he said admonishingly, “You all should read more. Your generation hardly reads.” He was a voracious reader, counting amongst his favourites, the works of that famous bard from Stratford-upon-Avon as well as the literary works of our first prime minster, Pandit Nehru. A jazz enthusiast and a multi-hyphenate, he lived by the principles he set: a lawyer must never limit himself to only the law, for he would remain a mason; a lawyer who cultivates other interests, such as literature, music, human rights, amongst others, will instead become an architect.
Whenever I saw Soli, I had a broad smile to which he always reciprocated humbly. I must say, I saw his reflection in his accomplished daughter Ms. Zia Mody when I met her in Milan, Italy, a few years back. I was left impressed with the striking similarities.
Mr. Sudhir Mishra, Founder and Managing Partner, Trust Legal & Door Tenant, No5 Barristers Chambers, London