THE BAR ASSOCIATION
Established in 1862, the Bombay Bar Association is one of the oldest in the country. It is an association of lawyers practicing on the Original Side of the Bombay High Court.
The BBA has produced some of India’s greatest judges, lawyers and jurists. Indeed, a list of its past and present members would read like a Who’s Who of the law in India. The Bar Association has given the country several Chief Justices of India, Attorney-Generals, Solicitor-Generals and Advocate-Generals of the State. It is not coincidence, too, that its members, along with other lawyers of the Bombay High Court, played a pivotal role in shaping the destiny of the sub-continent: Sir Pherozshah Mehta, Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Bhulabhai Desai among them.
Archival records & History
The Association has preserved records, including minutes and correspondence, going back to the 1860’s. Much of this material is rich and will be of immense value to those interested in history for the names that feature in our minutes are quite literally a Roll of Honour: Inverarity, Jinnah, Pherozeshah Mehta, Sir Jamsedji Kanga, Bhulabhai Desai, Sir Chimanlal Setalvad, Motilal Setalvad, Tendolkar, Daphtary, MC Chagla, Nani Palkhivala, HM Seervai … the list is truly astounding.
Mr FE Devitre, Senior Advocate, has long promised to write the history of this Association. We live in hope.
A Sense of Belonging
The Association is apt to claim as its own all Judges of the Bombay High Court, whether or not members. We regularly hold felicitation dinners for them on their elevation to the Bench of the Bombay High Court or the Supreme Court. Retiring Judges are always given a farewell tea party in the Association premises. At these functions, lawyers and members get an opportunity to meet with the judges personally.
CONSTITUTION, PREMISES AND MEMBERSHIP
The Association is not a formally registered body (legally, only an ‘association of persons’). It does, however, have a body of Rules governing elections, conduct, membership etc.
Membership is open to all those who practice or intend to practice on the Original Side of the High Court. Applicants are first admitted as temporary members. One year after completing temporary members, an application can be made for Permanent Membership. Permanent members enjoy certain additional privileges and facilities, including the right to vote and stand for election to the Standing Committee. Only Permanent Members are allowed to use the premises during the lunch recess.
The Association PremisesThe Association functions from large premises in Room 57 on the 3rd floor of the High Court Building. A limited food counter serves beverages and limited refreshments. Pay-per-use fax, computer and legal research facilities are available. Designated areas in the Association premises are available for holding conferences.
EMINENT MEMBERS
Past and present law officers who are members of the Association include Mr FS Nariman, Mr SJ Sorabjee, Mr AH Desai, Mr TR Andhyarujina and Mr GE Vahanvati. Even earlier, this Association gave the country and the state some of their finest law officers—Kanga, Daphtary, Seervai, Setalvad and other legends all graced these offices.
Eminent lawyers who continue to be our members though they now practice in the Supreme Court are:
- Mr Ram Jethmalani
- Mr FS Nariman
- Mr SJ Sorabjee
- Mr AB Divan
- Mr AH Desai
- Mr TR Andhyarujina
- Mr Shyam Divan
Several sitting judges of the High Court were members of the Association till their elevation to the Bench; among them, in recent times:
- Justice DY Chandrachud, also erstwhile Additional Solicitor-General
- Justice SJ Vazifdar
- Mrs Justice NN Mhatre
- Mrs Justice V Tahilramani
- Jusice JP Devadhar
- Justice RS Mohite
- Justice AV Mohta
- Justice SC Dharmadhikari
Many members of the Association have held the highest positions in the Supreme Court. These include, in recent times:
- Chief Justice M H Kania
- Chief Justice SP Bharucha
- Justice DD Madon
- Mrs Justice Sujata Manohar
- Justice SN Variava
- Justice BN Srikrishna
- Justice SH Kapadia
The Bombay High Court has given India several Chief Justices of India; at least three were from this Association.
Others say
This a great feeling to write about this bar assotiation.from the very beginning it gives lawyers of repute and good judges also.
it is great to know that BBA has produced so many great judeges and lawyers. Keep it up.
Old and historical BAR Association.But sorry to say forgot to write the name of father of Constitution Dr B.R.Ambedkar and one of the greatest and finest Law officers. May I request for including his name in opening page and Archial Record History. Unless his introduction BAR Association law history will be incomplete. Dr Kishor Duthade
Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s name needs to figure in the frontpage of this website. He is the father of Indian Consitution and BBA neeeds to be proud that he was a member of thier association.
While one has to appreciate the sentiments of Dr Duthade and Dr Khobragade and there can be no disagreement about the central position of Dr Ambedkar in our legal firmament, the fact of the matter is that Dr Ambedkar was not a member of the Bombay Bar Association. The loss, of course, is entirely that of the Association.
The Minute Books of the Association have an entry at page 70 of Volume II. It relates to the Annual Dinner for 1942, and states that at a meeting of the Standing Committee held on 14th July 1942, it was decided to invite Dr Ambedkar to the year’s Annual Dinner as a Chief Guest. Dr Ambedkar very graciously accepted the invitation and the dinner was held at the Ripon Club on 25th July 1942 with the then Advocate-General, Sir Jamsetjee Kanga, in the Chair, and a 102 members in attendance. Our minute books also include a seating chart for the dinner.
It would not, therefore, be historically accurate to say that Dr Ambedkar was a member of this Association. We honoured him in 1942 in our simple way, and we continue to honour his memory without reservation. For his contribution to our free and democratic republic is beyond calculation.
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