Legal Profession Can Be Emotionally Taxing; Don't Hide Your Mental Health Struggles : CJI BR Gavai To Law Graduates

Chief Justice of India Justice BR Gavai, while addressing the 22nd Convocation of NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, urged young lawyers to prioritise mental health and recognise the emotional and structural challenges of the legal profession.

Justice Gavai described the legal profession as demanding, with no guaranteed path or returns. “This profession demands that you constantly prove yourself: to the court, to your client, to your peers, and often, to yourself. It demands. And it keeps demanding,” he said.

He acknowledged the internal and external pressures that lawyers face. “You will be measured constantly, not just by judges and clients, but often by your own inner voice. You will question your path. You will be questioned. You will be overlooked. You will feel invisible. And yet, you will keep showing up,” he said.

Speaking directly about mental health, Justice Gavai said, “This profession can be isolating and emotionally taxing. The hours are long. The expectations, high. The culture, sometimes ruthless. You will feel pressure not just to succeed, but to appear successful.”

He urged students not to hide their struggles and to seek support. “Many hide their struggles. I urge you not to. Find your community.” He emphasised that in the legal profession, “self-care is not a luxury. It is a strategy.”

Quoting Bell Hooks, he said, “Rarely, if ever, are any of us healed in isolation. Healing is an act of communion.” He added a quote from Audre Lorde: “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.”

To those who feel anxious or introverted, he said, “Strength is not always measured in decibels. It lies in clarity, in insight, in depth… There is no single mould for what a lawyer should be. Make room for your own rhythm. There is enough space in this profession for many ways of being.” He quoted Susan Cain, saying, “Spend your free time the way you like, not the way you think you're supposed to.”

He quoted Sigmund Freud: “Unexpressed emotions will never die. They are buried alive and will come forth later in uglier ways.” He added, “It's okay to take a pause in life, sometimes. It's okay to be uncertain. You don't always have to prove yourself. Sometimes, just being is enough.”

He said that mental health cannot be addressed without recognising structural barriers in the legal field. “Structural inequality hides in silence. In the subtle comments. In the internship that never comes. In the doors that are hard to open,” he said.

Referring to a 2023 study published as “The Making of Lawyers' Careers: Inequality and Opportunity in the American Legal Profession,” Justice Gavai noted that where lawyers begin their practice heavily influences their later careers.

He observed that this trend is also visible in India. “A student from a National Law School in a metro city may be seen as 'better placed' than one from a smaller university, not necessarily because of skill, but because of perception. This is unfair. But it is real. We need to confront it, not accept it,” he said.

Justice Gavai also addressed the importance of a strong foundation in legal basics. “There is no shortcut to knowing the law. The Constitution, the Contract Act, the Code of Civil Procedure, the criminal law, and other core subjects are not optional subjects,” he said. He advised students to keep these foundations strong, even as the law evolves with developments like artificial intelligence and data privacy.

On the issue of mentorship, he said that the profession requires guidance beyond books and judgments. He called on seniors in the profession to take mentorship as a responsibility, not a favour.

“I appeal to all the seniors in this room— lawyers, judges, professors, professionals— be that person. Be the one who writes a recommendation, who explains a case, who tells a young graduate that they belong even when the room says otherwise. Mentorship is not a favour. It is a responsibility. And to the graduates, seek mentors not for their power, but for their integrity. And one day, become mentors yourselves. That is how we build not just careers, but a community of care within the profession, one that uplifts, not one that intimidates”, he said.

Justice Gavai also discussed the pressure on students to pursue foreign master's degrees. “Do not put yourself or your family under the burden of loans amounting to 50–70 lakhs just for a foreign degree,” he said.

Justice Gavai spoke about the need for institutional change to retain and attract talent. “We need to invest not only in institutions but in imagination, in mentorship programmes, research fellowships, policy labs, local innovation ecosystems, and ethical workplaces that make our best minds want to stay, or return,” he said.

He also highlighted the role of legal professionals in addressing systemic issues such as prolonged trials. Referring to U.S. judge Jed S. Rakoff's book “Why the Innocent Plead Guilty and the Guilty Go Free,” he said, “Even though I conclude that our legal system is in bad need of fixing, I remain cautiously optimistic that my fellow -[citizens] will rise to the challenge.”

Justice Gavai concluded his address with personal advice. “Never ignore the five things in life: friends and family, books, hobbies, health, and imagination.” He said that health requires conscious attention and quoted psychologist Dr. Rajiv Mehta: “The idea of regular medical check-ups has still not become a routine part of our daily lives.”

He ended by reminding the audience that law is not a dry craft. “It is a living, evolving space of ideas, emotions, and hope.”