Salman Khurshid Alam Khan (born 1 January 1953) is designated senior advocate at Hon’ble Supreme Court, an Indian politician, eminent author, and a law teacher. He was the Cabinet Minister of the Ministry of External Affairs. He belongs to the Indian National Congress. He is a lawyer, and a writer who has been elected from the Farrukhabad Lok Sabha constituency in the General Election of 2009. He belongs to the Farrukhabad area. Prior to this he was elected to the 10th Lok Sabha (1991–1996) from the Farrukhabad Lok Sabha constituency. He became the Union Deputy Minister of Commerce in June 1991, and later became the Union Minister of State for External Affairs (Jan. 1993 – June 1996). He started his political career in 1981 as an Officer on Special Duty in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) under the prime ministership of Indira Gandhi. A dynamic leader who has combined in himself the introspection of a man of learning and the boldness of a man of action. His deep sense of nationalism and secular outlook has led to the setting up of a chain of Delhi Public Schools both in India and abroad.
His book, Beyond Terrorism: New Hope for Kashmir, is a poignant tale that has received many rave reviews. He is the grandson of Dr. Zakir Hussain who was the third President of India. He completed his graduation from the University of Delhi, before which, he was a student at St. Xavier’s High School in Patna, Bihar. After completing his graduation from the University of Delhi, Salman Khurshid went to England for higher studies. He pursued a course in law from the prestigious St. Edmund Hall, Oxford University. Before this writer-politician started his career in politics, he was a lecturer in law at the renowned Trinity College, Oxford.
Describe your Law Firm, Foundation, Partners, and Work areas?
The firm works on the principle of Earl Warren who once said “IT IS THE SPIRIT AND NOT THE FORM OF LAW THAT KEEP JUSTICE ALIVE.” We seek to achieve justice amidst the complex and lax process of the Indian Legal System. We amalgamate the simplicity of a counsel’s chamber with the mannerism in the approach of a law firm. Thus achieving the best possible outcomes. The firm has 29 associates working in different areas of law. The firm was grounded in 2014.
The chamber deals with all kind of matters pertaining to SC, DC, HC and also conduct religious ‘briefing sessions’ in which they(interns) to are given a chance to make an argument and validate their stands.
What skills are required in your position on a day-to-day basis?
A Practitioner needs a lot of calmness and patient; sometimes he has to skip his life for others to get justice. The main skill is never getting too much attached because sometimes it becomes a weakness. Sometimes being less sensitive takes you in a long run. Reading, increasing your knowledge, getting updated of your surroundings, presenting your point of perspective are few other skills in this field.
What parts of your job do you find most challenging?
Every profession has its toughest part. In litigation, the toughest part is to be at your client’s expectations. For achieving an order on your side a lot of struggle and convincing skills are required. Legal knowledge should be at your tips.
How many hours do you work in a typical week?
I work for 19 hours from morning 9 to 11 at night. I have given myself for other’s sake of justice.
How would you describe the corporate culture in law?
The corporate gives a safe life to the upcoming fresher and law graduates, but according to me if you want to explore the real world of practicing law and what is legal life, be a practitioner. Legal practice is a sea of oceans and has various ups and downs but patience will give you one day a flying colour. It is a short span of struggle and hard work to reach a height.
Is this field growing enough so that there’s room for someone who is a first-generation lawyer?
Yes, the field grows with the development in law graduates in this profession. There is a need to support and aware young law graduates about the overwhelming life of a practitioner and he should begin with district level so that he can be aware of all the little gratitude’s which has to be in mind to be successful in this profession.
This industry has changed dramatically in the past years. What is your experience from inside your company? Where do you think the changes will happen in the next five years?
If you want to bring a change in the society began as a small change and things will change slowly and steadily. We take new freshers as an associate because giving the opportunity to the deservers is the best contribution to our society. Since I joined litigation in 2014, things have been changed a lot and drastically law became the most demanding profession of India.
What qualifications do you seek in a new hire?
A law graduate and a person should do further studies also in search of exploration and be knowing the depth of the legal aspects. It is advisable to do master’s or PhD from a foreign as this will give you a gesture around the world. Always take all the risks and then play the game of life.
Concluding note:
I wish you Legal Desire. all the best and try to bring the real legal world in your reports because people are interested to know what actually our life and work are. So all the best, Keep moving never stop because move on is the best way to grab new opportunities in life.
