“Law Will Test You Before It Rewards You”: CJI Surya Kant’s Golden Rule for Every Young Lawyer

Delivering the convocation address at the first graduation ceremony of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Law University, Sonipat, CJI Kant said that the legal profession today stands at a point where its relevance is unquestioned, yet the expectations from it are increasingly demanding.

“You enter the profession at a time when its relevance is unquestioned, but its expectations are demanding, shaped by technological disruption, economic complexity, expanding rights discourse, and heightened public scrutiny,” the CJI said.

Emphasizing perseverance over impatience, the CJI reminded young advocates that early recognition is not the measure of a successful career in law. “Many of the finest lawyers and judges did not begin with certainty or advantage. Their growth was gradual, shaped by patient preparation and composed perseverance. What distinguished them was not early acclaim but consistency,” he observed.

He cautioned that the profession tests not only intellect but temperament, requiring the ability to stay composed when progress seems invisible. “If you allow these years to teach you resilience rather than resentment, and perspective rather than impatience, they will serve you well for decades,” he said, adding that “the law, in time, recognises those who respect its pace.”

Calling integrity the single most vital quality that sustains lawyers through uncertainty, the Chief Justice said honesty and fairness are attributes that outlast brilliance. “Integrity does not announce itself. It reveals itself silently; in how you present facts, how you advise clients, how you treat opponents, and how you respond when the easier option tempts you,” he said.

Drawing from his experience on the Bench, CJI Kant remarked that trustworthiness defines a lawyer’s true legacy. “I have seen lawyers of exceptional intellect falter when trust was compromised, and others, who began with modest credentials, rise steadily because their word was dependable. Remember, long before you enter a courtroom, your reputation arrives ahead of you,” he cautioned.

The Chief Justice observed that today’s lawyers carry both the privilege of renewal and the responsibility of restraint.

“The profession looks to its youngest members not merely to adapt, but to elevate standards. It looks to you to restore confidence where it has weakened, to introduce innovation without eroding principles, and to practise law with both competence and conscience,” he said.

He reminded graduates that efficiency must never come at the cost of fairness, and that innovation should not dilute accountability; echoing the judiciary’s broader commitment to balancing progress with ethical conduct. Speaking about the meaning of success, CJI Kant said that while aspirations may differ, from prestige and stability to public service, the truest measure lies in the integrity of one’s work. “Success will mean different things to different people, professional standing, financial stability, public service. None of these are unworthy goals. But seek a deeper measure of success: the satisfaction of having done your work honestly, contributed to fairness, and stood by principle even when it was inconvenient,” he said.

He concluded by reminding the young lawyers that graduation does not mark the end of learning but the beginning of a sterner, more practical education. “As you leave this campus, remember that the law will continue to teach you, but now through clients, institutions, conflicts, and consequences,” he said.

CJI Surya Kant’s address was both a caution and a call to conscience, urging the next generation of lawyers to build careers defined not by speed, but by steadiness, substance, and sincerity. “Law is not a shortcut to success, but a craft to be learned carefully and practised with integrity. Those who remain committed, curious, and sincere often find that the profession rewards them, sometimes later than expected, but always in ways that endure", the CJI said.