Black armour of law « LAW RESOURCE INDIA

by NNLRJ INDIA

Strangely, while more than 86 per cent said a dress code was necessary, a good 65 per cent also averred that the current one had become more of a status symbol and served no real purpose. While nearly half of the respondents agreed that the current dress code was not suited to the Indian climate, around two-thirds failed to appreciate the health ramifications of the black coat and the need to look for a change. For Vipul Kundalia, Managing Partner in the Kolkata-headquartered law firm Kundalia and Associates, being an advocate presents an unusual occupational hazard. 5 million lawyers in India, the coat, a black one at that, is a professional compulsion, no matter how unkind the weather or the workplace. Wearing a coat during sweltering summers or muggy monsoons may border on the bizarre for us. However, for the more than 1. A couple of years ago, it carried out a survey of 120 lawyers at Pune’s district session court to gauge the sentiment around the sartorial protocol. “The uniform does give a sense of purpose, discipline and responsibility,” says Kundalia....

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