Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant, on February 2,8 delivered a thought-provoking convocation address at the 16th Convocation Ceremony of Gujarat National Law University (GNLU) in Gandhinagar, urging young law graduates to embrace specialisation rather than attempting to excel at everything.
Drawing a vivid parallel with T20 cricket, the CJI said the legal profession, much like a high-stakes cricket team, thrives on clarity of roles. “No one expects Suryakumar Yadav to bowl the death overs, or Jasprit Bumrah to anchor a chase. They are trusted to do precisely what they do best, and the team is built around that clarity,” he said. The remark resonated with the graduating batch, underscoring the value of identifying one’s strengths early in a competitive profession.
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Justice Surya Kant cautioned that the legal field “rarely rewards those who attempt to do everything equally.” Instead, he encouraged young advocates to confront early in their careers where they truly belong within the profession. According to him, distinction emerges not from scattered efforts but from sustained mastery in a chosen domain.
Bridging law school and real-world practice
Highlighting the gap between academic training and courtroom realities, the CJI noted that textbooks provide doctrine, but professional life demands discipline, responsibility and the ability to function under practical constraints. He described the transition from law school to practice as the difference between “learning the map and navigating the territory.”
Justice Surya Kant also stressed that much of a lawyer’s work remains unseen and uncelebrated. Recognition, he said, often comes years after sustained effort. Behind every celebrated courtroom performance lie countless hours of research, drafting and preparation.
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Addressing broader concerns within the legal fraternity, the CJI’s remarks come at a time when India has over 1.7 million lawyers but continues to face shortages of domain experts in areas such as arbitration, intellectual property and environmental law. With more than 50 million cases pending across courts, he indicated that greater specialisation could contribute to improving efficiency within the justice delivery system.
He also underscored the importance of integrity, reminding graduates that public trust in the legal profession depends on consistent ethical conduct. Every professional decision, he said, strengthens or weakens the credibility of the justice system.
