Effect Of Covid 19 On Legal Profession

With the rapid and uncontrollable spread of the deadly COVID 19 in all parts of the world, the countries have gone into complete lockdown, with only a few essential services operating. It has almost been 3 months since the lockdown had been announced and every other service, is trying to sustain themselves through this time and continue to operate through various other modes which involve social distancing like use of Video Conferencing Apps and Work from Home.

It is an understood fact that this type of working has brought in a lot of changes and challenges for and to the services and offices. Every firm has been trying to make this way more effective and comfortable for their employees.

In the legal Profession, it was seen that, lawyers often used to work from home about 2 to 3 days in a week, but that was on an individual basis, but now that the whole Law Firm or courts are operating digitally with various apps and online methods, with no idea as to when they will return to their offices.

The Big cooperate Law firms, have found these online modes very cost effective as they do not have to maintain such big infrastructures for efficient working. With the development of software’s that can access anything from any other software and various others, it has made the experience of working from home better. 

There have been speculations that all the offices will continue to work online as it has turned out to be very cost effective and environmentally friendly saving tons of paper and also convenient for the people as most of the work done by them are research and drafting, the work from home structures is proving to be supportive of them.

As for the courts, they also have been functioning online, with important cases being tried through video conferencing. Till date the Supreme Court of India has heard 600 + cases.

Even before this Pandemic, there was planning to make the courts digitalize for various matters.

In an event organized by the Supreme Court Bar Association, Chief Justice S.A Bobde mentioned the idea introducing “Artificial Intelligence in Courts”.

With this Independent Lawyers have also started Online Consultations for their Clients and have been increasingly using E- Contracts.

As and when this problem surpasses, there will be a lot of changes in the Legal Fraternity pertaining to various things and arising challenges as effects from this situation.

There has been a great conjecture as to what will happen in this profession after the lockdown opens both in a positive as well as a negative way.

To look at the brighter side for the legal Fraternity during this pandemic, it can increase the business for lawyers. For E.g.-  The lockdown has created a lot of financial problems for business and the rules of the government to pay full salaries to the employees have made it much worse, with this there will be defaulters and thus increasing the use for lawyers for consultation on how to fight for their rights and other legalities.  Like this a lot of situations will arise where the use of lawyers will increase, thus increasing the scope for this profession.

COVID 19 is considered to be a boon in disguise of a bane for Lawyers. This crisis also gives a proof that the courts are efficiently equipped with sufficient ways to act at any time or in an hour of need. This Pandemic has also helped us to eradicate certain methods of age old practices and go digital and effective.

By:-

Samaira Nakra

Student Reporter, INBA