First Virender Sood Memorial Lecture Highlights Pathways to Improve Indian Legal System.

New Delhi, August 5, 2025: The Indian Law Institute proudly hosted the First Virender Sood Memorial Lecture on August 5, 2025 in collaboration with Clarcatalyst bringing together some of the country’s eminent jurists, senior advocates, and legal scholars to deliberate on the pressing topic: “How to Improve the Indian Legal System.” The event paid homage to the late Advocate Virender Sood, a pioneering first-generation lawyer whose exemplary career and dedication to justice remain a guiding light for legal professionals.

In his inspiring opening remarks, Mr. Pushkar Sood traced Advocate Sood’s remarkable journey from modest beginnings to becoming a stalwart of the Delhi High Court and a trusted counsel for key governmental bodies. He highlighted Advocate Sood’s belief that with perseverance and grit, first-generation lawyers can reach the highest levels of the profession—an encouraging message for the next generation.

Distinguished speakers shared their expert insights on multifaceted challenges facing India’s judiciary, including staggering case backlogs exceeding 5 crore, judicial vacancies, limited infrastructure, and the urgent need for introspection within both the bar and bench.

Justice Dr. M.K. Sharma, former Judge of the Supreme Court of India, underscored the importance of a holistic approach involving legislature, judiciary, police, advocates, and citizens alike. He stressed the necessity for rigorous legislative debate and enhanced judicial infrastructure to tackle systemic delays.

Justice C. Harishankar praised the robustness of the Indian legal system, particularly its distinctive practice of suo-moto cognizance by judges, while urging grassroots reforms, greater mentorship among advocates, and a mindful embrace of technology including AI in legal processes.

Mr. Sanjay Jain proposed an innovative “5 I’s” framework—Intend, Initiative, Interactive Internship, Introspection, and Infrastructure—to revitalize the legal system. He stressed the critical role of practical legal training, ethical practice, and greater support for legal aid services.

Dr. Sheetal Singh spotlighted the evolution of legal education toward practical learning and global academic integration, proudly acknowledging the founders of Clar Catalyst, a legal management startup, among her students.

Mr. N. Hariharan called for deeper introspection on the judiciary’s outreach to society’s most vulnerable and emphasized the need for transparency in judicial appointments. He introduced his initiative, the “Lawyer’s Academy,” aimed at nurturing competent new advocates.

The event concluded with a vote of thanks from Mr. Pushkar Sood, who acknowledged the invaluable contributions of all speakers, the collaborative efforts of Clar Catalyst, its founders Mr. Aditya Raj and Mr. Jasraj Bhowmik, and the dedicated volunteers.

The First Virender Sood Memorial Lecture served as a vital platform for fostering actionable ideas to strengthen the Indian legal system, inspiring stakeholders to work collaboratively towards a more efficient, just, and accessible judiciary.

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This press release reflects the proceedings of the event held on August 5, 2025, at the Indian Law Institute, aimed at advancing India’s legal landscape in memory of Advocate Virender Sood.