Indian law schools should strive to produce highly skilled graduates and postgraduates to effectively compete with foreign lawyers and law firms, as the country is gradually opening its doors to them, R Venkata Rao, vice chancellor, India International University of Legal Education and Research (IIULER), Goa said, according to an official statement.
The statement suggests that the recent notification issued by the Bar Council of India (BCI) has made it easier for foreign law firms to practice in India, claimed Rao. As a result, there is a growing need to produce competent Indian law students through our law schools. This implies that there is a need to improve the quality of legal education in India so that law students are well equipped to compete with foreign firms in the legal market, he added.
The notification by the BCI is likely to have some impact on the legal sector in India. With easier entry of foreign law firms, the competition in the legal market is likely to increase, which would require Indian law firms to upgrade their services and offerings, the statement mentioned.
He used a sports metaphor to illustrate that in the past, the Indian cricket team was like a tiger dominating on its home-turf, but struggling when touring foreign countries such as Australia and England where they were consistently beaten. However, he noted that the team has made remarkable progress and now triumphs easily over foreign teams in those countries, the statement said.