Yet, Another Win: Vijay K. Sondhi

As Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The first thing which you must always bear in mind, if you would spiritualize the practice of law, is not to make your profession subservient to the interests of your purse, as is unfortunately but too often the case at present, but to use your profession for the service of your country.” Vijay K. Sondhi, abided by these very words throughout his professional career including while acting as the former Vice- Chairman of The Bar Council of Delhi.

Over the span of several years, India had seen law-firm lawyers being under-represented as members of bar councils across different states. This drought and trend was broken in 2012, when Sondhi, after having been elected as a member of The Bar Council of Delhi for over two years (i.e., in 2009 and 2018), was appointed as the Vice-Chairman of the statutory body. Currently, the Bar Council of Delhi is the largest Council in the country and encompasses many powers including the admission/rejection of persons as advocates, determination of misconduct cases against lawyers, management of the interest of advocates, and the provision of law reform support.

When Vijay K. Sondhi was elected as the Vice-Chairman of The Bar Council of Delhi, he was already the Co-Founder and Senior Partner at L&L Partners, formerly known as Luthra & Luthra Law Offices Litigation. L&L Partners, established in 1990, is well-known for providing legal guidance and assistance to a variety of domestic and international clients as well as foreign firms. For Sondhi, this responsibility meant an opportunity to manoeuvre the rusted system at that time towards transparent and responsible governance and to create a pool of specialized transnational lawyers. After winning the prestigious election, the Senior Partner shared his viewpoint on the reason behind the decrease in law-firm lawyers running as members of their respective state’s bar council. Vijay K. Sondhi voiced that, “If every law firm lawyer is explained the importance of a well-functioning bar council, then one would see the change in trend of law firm lawyers contesting elections. The problem was of awareness and interest.”

Even prior to the victory of Sondhi, the advocate was notable for being a voice for many of the budding lawyers in India, ensuring that they receive valuable opportunities and the correct counselling to excel in their respective fields of service. Having been a guide to a plethora of law graduates and interns through the span of his career, he was recognized as an instrumental mentor in the industry even before his appointment as the managing lead of the bar council.

Born on April 9th, 1968 in Delhi, Vijay Sondhi has credited all the success he has garnered and the work ethics he has abided by to his parents, Dr. D K Sondhi (Father) and Vidyotama Sondhi (Mother). Needless to say, the election of Vijay K. Sondhi as member and Vice-Chairman of The Bar Council of Delhi proved to be advantageous and propitious for the legal fraternity and public as a whole.

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