The Corona pandemic and subsequent lockdown necessitated to break the chain of infections has brought to fore the great income disparity in the legal profession. There are famous and big lawyers charging hefty amounts from a long list of clients, but in Jharkhand these constitute a small fraction. While the vast majority of lawyers, especially in the lower courts or district courts, function on a case-to-case basis for their income.
As physical hearing in courts is suspended for more than a year there is a drastic fall in income of these lawyers. Local bar associations at different periods of time have come forward in helping these lawyers in distress, but the help has been like peanuts. Facing financial crunch and no other source of income, many lawyers are planning to make a career switch or change in profession. Sources said that more than 150 lawyers working in lower courts or district courts across the State are planning to change their profession. The situation is such that many lawyers are even contemplating to surrender their license so that they can get a monthly pension.
Sanjay Vidrohi, a lawyer at Ranchi Civil Court said, “The situation is very bad for the lawyers' fraternity. As physical courts are suspended for around 15 months many lawyers, mostly coming from rural areas, have returned to their villages. In villages many of these lawyers are either doing agriculture or doing small business such as running general stores or others.” Vidrohi further said, last year when lockdown was introduced may lawyers stayed back in Ranchi or other big cities in a hope that situation would improve soon, but the second wave hit hard with majority of lawyers with no work, monthly income plummeting, forcing them to curtail their expenses or switch their profession.
Echoing the views of Vidrohi, another lawyer from Ranchi Civil Court ,who doesn't want to be quoted said, “The biggest setback is for lawyers practicing civil cases as the court is hearing only urgent matters. Those lawyers who depended upon affidavits or other sources of income are badly affected.”
Sources said that for more than a year now, the pace of work in courts has slowed down owing to the Covid pandemic, which has severely affected first-generation advocates.
All judicial fore, including tribunals, switched to digital hearings following the Covid-19 lockdown. Only urgent fresh matters largely left to the discretion of court officials are heard in these tribunals. As the court is hearing only virtual cases, clients are not visiting lawyers in such a situation their income has been stopped.