Bombay Bar Association

Maharashtra’s current Advocate General Dr. Milind Sathe joins legendary criminal lawyer Amit Desai to share his life story, from a remote village school to the state's top legal post. Drawing on the mentorship of his senior D.R. Dhanuka, he unpacks his philosophy of providing the right legal advice independent of political coalitions. Dr. Sathe offers insider perspectives on the landmark 1980s Hindutva election trials, the we...

Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai joins Arif Bookwala to share his remarkable journey from a municipal primary school to Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India. Drawing on the socio-economic philosophy of his father, R.S. Gavai, and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Justice Gavai speaks of tackling the nation's biggest legal controversies. He offers insider perspectives on the collegium system, his stance on the creamy layer in reservations, ...

In this episode, the 50th Chief Justice of India, Justice D.Y.  Chandrachud is in conversation with Senior Advocate and former President of the Bombay Bar Association, Mr. Rafique Dada. He reflects on the defining moments of his journey, from learning his craft at the feet of legal titans to delivering judgments that have redefined fundamental rights in modern India.

CREDITS:

Guest: Justice D.Y.  Chandrachud

Host: Mr. Ra...

In this special episode, we are joined by two stalwarts of the Bombay Bar, Mr. Avinash Rana and Mr. Janak Dwarkadas. Through the extraordinary recollections of Mr. Rana, we turn the pages of our nation’s political and legal history. After more than seven decades at the Bar and at the remarkable age of 98, Mr. Rana continues to come to court with undiminished vigour and conviction. Beyond the courtroom, he is celebrated for re...

Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka’s judicial journey is defined by discipline, clarity, and an unwavering commitment to constitutional values.

In this episode, speaking with our Honorary Secretary, Farhan Dubash, Justice Oka reflects on his early practice in Thane and the influences that shaped his appetite for reading and the law. He speaks about his years at the Bombay High Court, where his reputation for fairness and meticulou...

Justice Uday Umesh Lalit's career embodies a rare blend of technical legal brilliance, ethical conviction, and reformist vision. Rising directly from the Bar to Supreme Court Bench a path reserved for only a select few. He brought with him the sharpness of a practicing lawyer, the discipline of courtroom advocacy, and the ability to see law not merely as text, but as a living tool of justice.

In this episode, he opens up to Senior ...

In this episode Justice Rebello is in conversation with Naushad Engineer, Senior Advocate. He recounts his journey, which includes a stint as an activist, a legislator elected during the post-Emergency Janata wave in 1977, and leader of movements like the Goa fishermen’s agitation, which even led to his imprisonment!

As a judge of the Bombay High Court and later Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court, Justice Rebello was k...

In this special episode, we host Mr. Soli Dastur, one of India’s most esteemed and influential tax counsel. Widely respected for his exceptional legal acumen, unwavering integrity, and decades of mentorship within the legal and tax communities, Mr. Dastur reflects on his remarkable journey through the profession. In a candid and engaging conversation with his former junior and fellow Senior Advocate, Mr. Porus Kaka, he shares...

In this episode of the Bombay Bar Association Podcast, we are joined by Justice A.P. Shah, one of India’s most respected jurists and a champion of progressive constitutionalism. A former Chief Justice of the Delhi and Madras High Courts and Chairman of the 20th Law Commission, Justice Shah shares insights from his distinguished career in a thoughtful conversation with Senior Advocate Gaurav Joshi. They discuss his judicial ph...

We’re back — and starting Season 2 with a bang! Joining us for the premiere is none other than Justice Gautam Patel — retired judge of the Bombay High Court, writer par excellence, photographer, film aficionado and, of course, former Honorary Secretary of the BBA.

In conversation with Senior Advocate Shiraz Rustomjee, Justice Patel dives into topics that matter: the fight for environmental protection through law, ...

Welcome to Season 2 of the Bombay Bar Association Podcast

In this season, we journey through the remarkable lives and careers of individuals from the broader legal fraternity who have played a pivotal role in shaping Indian jurisprudence. Through in-depth conversations and historical insights, we shine a light on the personalities and contributions that have defined the legacy of the Bombay High Court.

Season 2 celebrates the spiri...

The final episode is a rare coming together of two Advocate Generals, 

Dr. Birendra Saraf the incumbent Advocate General for the State of Maharashtra, and his senior, Mr. Ravi Kadam, former Advocate General for the State of Maharashtra. Both men share uniquely parallel lives - both their parents migrated to Bombay, their fathers were the first members of their family to pursue law, and as second generation lawyers they carved ...

Justice Kathawalla candidly opens up about his journey into law and the path that led to him accepting judgeship. Talking to senior advocate (and well-known thespian) Darius Shroff, they explore the value of self belief and determination. From relying on the charity of others that supported his family and education as a child, to now providing scholarships and aid to less fortunate families, Justice Kathawalla’s story is trul...

From a humble middle class Maharashtran family, Justice Gupte was the first person in his family to pursue law, and was groomed by his grandfather from a very young age, not just to become a lawyer, but particularly to become a judge. Chatting with Sr. Adv. Darius Khambata, we explore Justice Gupte’s love for theatre and how there is a little bit of an actor in every lawyer and a bit of a director in every judge. He talks abo...

Former Chief Justice of the Punjab & Haryana High Court Justice Shiavax Vazifdar is in conversation with his former chamber colleague Sr. Adv. Pradeep Sancheti. They share the impact that their senior, Mr. Rohit Kapadia, had on their practice as a mentor and a guide, the importance of the chamber system and the value of spending time at the Bombay High Court Library. We are also given a peek into the wider role judges perform b...

We have the rare privilege of hosting this renaissance man, this polymath, in his first podcast interview ever. Hosted by his close friend, Sr. Adv. Fredun DeVitre, Justice Nariman shares the impact of moving to Delhi when his father was appointed Additional Solicitor General of India, working alongside the great Nani Palkhivala, and why according to him there is no case which is so bad that it cannot be argued. You will also be tr...

The 46th Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court is in conversation with the former President of the Bombay Bar Association and his chamber colleague Sr. Adv. Dr. Milind Sathe. They reminisce about the late D.R. Dhanuka’s chamber being a gurukul, the challenges he faced to establish himself as a lawyer and a judge, and how Justice R.D. Dhanuka learned the importance of giving every litigant a patient hearing in court.

This vi...

Perhaps best known for heading the Srikrishna Commission that inquired into the 1992-93 Bombay Riots, Justice B.N. Srikrishna has led a long and fascinating legal career. Having put aside his ambitions of becoming a nuclear scientist, Srikrishna built a robust legal practice at the Bombay High Court that even saw him at the centre of a pivotal Bombay Mill Strike case. We find out the reason he took up judgeship in the middle of a c...

On the first episode of the Bombay Bar Association Podcast, our guest is Justice Sujata Manohar. She was the first woman Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court and the Kerala High Court and only the second woman ever to be appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of India. 

Justice Manohar takes us through the challenges she faced as one of the few women lawyers practising in the Bombay High Court when she joined the Bar in ...