The (s)cream of society

I know I've gone on and on about this issue but it just doesn't seem to sort itself out. Thanks to middle aged men with failing family lives who seem to be highly active on WhatsApp groups, I got a lot of stick for talking about this matter.

Pay young lawyers fair wages. If you can't pay because you don't have the finances then at least treat them with respect. That won't cost you anything.

I thankfully seem to have the privilege of being able to talk about this without a fear of repercussions. What repercussions though? A neighborhood man talking smack, that seems to be about it. Not much but it pays the bills. Whatever pays the bills, you know?

Parents spend a fortune on their child's law degree and attend their graduation with all their heart (and pocket) thinking their child is going to help the poor and be a hero one day.

Law schools give you that impression too. I was sold that package. Be a lawyer, help the poor, run around in fancy suits and attend expensive dinners. The truth seems to be far from that.

It does seem to be mundane at this point but it has to be out there again. Senior lawyers don't pay their juniors enough. Interns are a whole different story though. They get told that they're more of a burden and are lucky to be even working in a law office. That is the impression created for them.

Interestingly, there is no legislation in Pakistan which regulates the pay of newly graduated law students or interns. Although the Constitution does talk about equality of citizens and general principles of equity, but how often are those fundamental rights enforced? Your guess is as good as mine. What rights? Only wrongs.

It is ironic that those who've been trained to ensure the protection of rights are the ones who tend to violate them with impunity.

I authored a piece titled 'No More Ivory Towers' which was published here last year or so. It spoke about the impact of transferring all High Court cases to the District Courts and evidently, the piece did not go down well with many, and rightly so. If someone approached me and started spewing the truth that I did not want to hear, I wouldn't like it either.

I do tend to complain and many turn to me and ask if I have any solutions.

Well, the solutions are supposed to come from those who are working within the system. Bar councils, parliaments and committees are the ones who should be actively working towards proposing legislation which ensures a minimum wage system for interns and fresh law graduates. I would seem to be too idealistic if I threw in a notion about work timings too. Let us stick to the basics for now.

Not only should law firms pay interns and fresh grads a minimum wage, they are also duty-bound to act as mentors to help them grow academically.

I would not shy away from unequivocally stating the fact that you should stop using fresh grads and interns for your futile election campaigns. Let these new lawyers read books and observe court proceedings instead of having them repeat the mantra of 'please vote and support XYZ' and 'kindly attend dinner arranged in the honor of XYZ'. There's no honour in forcing your friend to arrange a dinner for you to yap at.

Young lawyers should be in courtrooms arguing cases, not begging for votes. Which reminds me, please make it illegal for lawyers in Pakistan to use TikTok. All I see on WhatsApp statuses are men with protruding bellies walking to and from a camera with their black coats waving in the air while they wear sunglasses with some background music playing.

Please don't misuse your employees, pay them well, be a mentor, guide them and uplift them all the while being kind and polite. Your employees are not your servants. They're human beings. Treat them well.