Importance of legal profession in the administration of justice

Explain why legal profession is considered as learned profession?

The profession of law is a great profession, the most brilliant and attractive of the peaceful professions,
with responsibilities which no other profession has to carry on its shoulders. It is a great controlling and
unifying institution which places upon each his duties, gives to each his rights, and enforces from each
his obligations. It is composed of a body of men with a high sense of honor and marred by far less
mutual jealousy or ill will than any other.

Legal Profession is a learned profession. It is a learned profession not merely in the sense that learning is
displayed in the practice of it, but that it calls for the high and noble conduct which is a corollary and
consequence of all true learning. As Burke observed, 'Law is a science which does more to quicken and
invigorate the understanding than all other kinds of learning put together'.

Blackstone, in the introduction to his commentaries, spoke of it as a science which distinguishes the
criterion of right and wrong; which teaches to establish the one and prevent, punish or redress the
other; which employs in its theory the noblest faculties of the soul, and exerts in its practice the cardinal
virtues of the heart; a science which is universal in its use and extent, accommodated to -each
individual, yet comprehending the whole community.

Legal Profession requires;

In depth knowledge- In no profession is it more certain that ‘knowledge is power' and that 'cowardice is
the result of ignorance’. The deep knowledge helps a lawyer in understanding the case, in finding the
issues, etc. In depth knowledge helps a lawyer in connecting the facts with law.

Updated knowledge- Accurate knowledge of the details of a case is always helpful, and some cases can
be won only on details. In the words of Arthur Helps, the successful lawyer 'must have an ignominious
love of details’. A Lawyer must never therefore shirk studying details; on the other hand he must learn
to revel in them. If he remains updated then accuracy will always come.

Proper Practice before authority- Where the proper procedure is adopted the plan of the case that
lawyer has prepared that will stand him in good stead. He will begin with an account of the parties, the
circumstances that led to the present dispute, the precise nature of the dispute, the points at issue and
the proofs that he intend to produce in order to establish them. This is an occasion for him to exhibit his
skill in advocacy by the orderly presentation that he makes. It has been said that there is nothing more
difficult in the art of advocacy than to open a case effectively.

Application of laws to current facts- A decision is closely related to the facts of the case and lawyer’s
application of it to those of another must depend upon the similarity in the situations which he has to
establish. He should therefore study the whole report from beginning to end, master the facts of it and
appreciate precisely how the question of law arose on the facts and how it was decided in relation to
them. He should never allow yourself to be humiliated by having the cases that you cite turned against
you and used as weapons by the opposite side.

Salient features of Legal Profession

Shri KV Krishnaswamy Iyer in his book of ‘Professional Conduct and Advocacy’ said that on one hand a
lawyer is much maligned person, on the other hand by virtue of his attainments and qualifications in the
profession, he has to discharge duties and responsibilities in society which no other citizen has to do.