The Significance Of Academic Instruction On Legal Ethics For Law Undergraduates In India

Kartik Uprit, B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) Graduate from the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences

ABSTRACT

Today's society is controlled by a mosaic of disparate laws, ideas, conventions, and assertions about how individuals should live their lives. These set of rules govern our daily actions, both professionally and otherwise. In that respect, ethics is a subfield of philosophy that seeks to address the fundamental issue of what course of conduct one should follow in any given situation. It is a cogitative procedure in which individuals’ choices are influenced by their beliefs, ideals, and purpose rather than by mindless habits or societal norms. Our values, beliefs, and purpose provide us with a sense of what is right and proper in our life. They serve as a point of reference for all potential courses of action.

While ethics directs one's behavior, it also directs one's behavior and interactions with others, and therefore one of the most basic criteria of any profession is sound work ethics. Professional ethics is the rule of conduct that regulates the kind of behavior expected of professionals in any particular culture.

Law has been a popular field of study for students of this generation, and it is critical for the next generation of attorneys to understand the formal ethical standards prior to entering the world and beginning their profession. The duty for teaching these principles to aspiring legal practitioners and ensuring that they are properly understood rests with the country's law schools. Students should understand how to defend and advance their clients' interests within the confines of the law while maintaining a professional and courteous demeanor toward all parties to the legal process. Despite the fact that Legal Ethics is a required component of virtually every Indian law school's core curriculum, it is not taught on an equal footing with the other disciplines.

This paper will talk at length about what legal professional ethics is, how it is taught in law schools, and why such type of academic instruction is critical for law students in India.