By IETeam The woman lawyers in India have achieved exceptional success in the legal field and have been pushing barriers along their career. Though they were challenging norms, their efforts have advanced the human rights and have strengthened the justice in the legal framework of the country. They have inspired countless women to pursue their career in law. Here are the top ten famous female lawyers in India whose journey is inspiring and pioneering other lawyers in the country.
1. Indira Jaising:
She was one of the first women lawyers in the country and she graduated from the University of Bombay in the year 1962. She became the first female Additional Solicitor General in the year 2009 and she has also co-founded the Lawyers Collective. This institution offers legal aid to the marginalized communities in the country. Through her landmark cases, she has been instrumental in the creation of the Vishaka Guidelines that helps to prevent workplace harassment. And in her case between Navtej Singh Johar and the Union of India, she argued in favor of decriminalizing homosexuality, in the favor of the LGBTQ+ community.
2. Pinky Anand:
Pinky Anand was born in the year 1959 in India. From a very young age, she was determined to pursue a career in law. After graduating from the Delhi University, she started working under Soli Sorabjee. It was her work ethics and confidence that paved a way for her to become one of the renowned female lawyers in the country. She was appointed as the Additonal Solicitor General in the year 2014 and was appointed as a senior advocate by Delhi High Court in the year 2007.
3. Menaka Guruswamy:
She is the graduate of the National law school in India. Throughout her career as a successful lawyer, she has fought in favor of human rights. She is known for her powerful work in refining the constitutional law. She has also played a key role in advancing the rights of the LGBTQ+ community in the country and in decriminalizing homosexuality. She teaches law at the West Bengal National University and specialize in the human rights law and the constitutional law.
4. Karuna Nundy:
She studied in the Cambridge University and started her legal practice in the Supreme Court of India in the year 1998. She is known for her work on the human rights and she has also worked in favor of the constitutional reform. Her landmark contributions towards the legal framework of the country are advocating in favor of the anti-rape laws in India in the year 2013 and supporting the victims of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy.
5. Vrinda Grover:
She was born in the year 1960 in New Delhi and graduated from the Delhi University in 1982, specializing in law. She started her legal career as a human rights lawyer in the year 1987. She is now one of the pioneers in human rights law. She was instrumental in founding the Multiple Action Research Group of the human rights organization in the year 1990. She was also appointed as a member of the Upper House of the Parliament in the year 2011. She has appeared on the side of the victims in many prominent cases such as anti-Sikh riots, Hashimpura police killings, anti-Christian riots in Kandhamal etc.
6. Anitha Shenoy:
She is a distinguished lawyer at the Supreme Court of India and for known for her specialization in the public interest litigation and constitutional law. She is recognized for her expertise in the advocacy of human rights and in handling constitutional challenges. She played a crucial role in the landmark case that established the right to privacy as a fundamental right. She was involved in a number of key cases concerning the educational policies, government accountability in healthcare services etc.
7. Zia Mody:
She graduated from the Cambridge University in 1978 and co-founded the law firm AZB and Partners in the year 2004. It was her stern ambition and resilience that paved the way for her esteemed career as the country’s most influential corporate lawyers. She defended the CEO of ICICI bank before an inquiry panel to investigate the charges of the quid-pro-quo in a loan. In the year 2022 she represented US short seller Hindenburg in a legal tussle between Adani Group and Hindenburg, under the charges of stock manipulation.
8. Sudha Bharadwaj:
From a very young age, she was determined to fight against inequality and injustice. She earned her law degree in Bangalore in the year 2000 and started practicing law in Chhattisgarh in the year 2002. She was the co-founder of a labor union that offered legal aid to the farmers, workers and the minorities.
9. Flavia Agnes:
Flavia Agnes was born in the year 1953 and warned a law degree in the year 1974. She started advocating for legal reforms and women’s rights. She founded the Majlis organization inorder to render legal aid to the abused women .She was a pioneer in legal reforms for the protections of the women’s rights. She was appointed to the Sacher Committee in the year 2005. She was involved in the aftermath of the Shah Bano Case and she campaigned against the regressive changes that are made to the Muslim women.
10. Meenakshi Lekhi:
She was born in the year 1968 in New Delhi and aspired to be a lawyer, to fight for justice. She started practicing at the Supreme Court in the year 1009 and she serves as Additional Solicitor General of India between the years 2014 and 2017. She was elected as Member of Parliament in the year 2014 from the New Delhi Constituency. She contributed positively to a number of legal and political activities and has voiced against issues related to law and women’s rights.
Women have made a number of great strides in the legal profession in the country, and they have overcome gender barriers to rise to the top in their field. The extraordinary achievements of these professional serve as an inspiration to all aspiring young women advocates to aim high and fulfill their potential.