On Saturday, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud spoke out in favor of better working conditions and work-life balance for legal practitioners by relating a personal experience his late ex-wife, who was also a lawyer, had.
The CJI added, "My late former wife who was a lawyer, when she went to a law firm, she asked what the working hours would be and she was told it is 24x7 and 365 days," according to Bar and Bench, speaking at the 31st annual convocation of the National Law School of India University in Bengaluru.
Additionally, she was informed that there would be no family time and instructed to "find a husband who can do household chores", according to CJI DY Chandrachud.
He continued by stating that things had changed for the better and outlining his own role in the improvement. The CJI said that when female law clerks under his supervision encounter menstrual-related health problems, he permits them to work from home.
"Four out of every five law clerks last year were female. They frequently phone me and report having menstruation cramps, sir. I advise them to work from home and to take good care of their health. According to Bar and Bench, he added, "We have also installed sanitary napkin dispensers in the female restrooms of the Supreme Court of India.
The top attorney then counseled the graduating class to prioritize being a "good person" over becoming "good lawyers". "Know that the cost is too high," he advised the law students, "if the cost of success is that we must act against conscience or be indifferent in the face of injustice."
