AKSHAY KSHIRSAGAR
Top 10 Highest paid Lawyers in India with landmark cases
Law is the oldest profession with a sign of prestige for generations. It is a profession which reflects authority, power, intellect and discipline. Lawyers are among the highest-paid professionals in the legal industry. However, only experienced lawyers get a chance to make big bucks.
The law profession has broad diversification with tremendous opportunities to practice in several niches. Lawyers do not need marketing and advertising, as their work and result are enough to attract more clients.
In this article, we will see the top 10 highest-paid lawyers in India and what is common in them.
1. Ram Jethmalani (Eminent Lawyer and Former Union Minister) 25 lakhs per hearing
Credit - The Asian Age
Ram Boolchand Jethmalani was a well-known jurist and a lawyer by profession who was born in Shikarpur, Pakistan on 14 September 1943. He came to India when a riot broke out in Karachi, Pakistan soon after the partition. Ram Jethmalani’s intellect made him earn his law degree at the age of 17, though age 21 was a limit for practising law at that time, he was an exception.
He came under the spotlight when he took The 1959 Nanavati case. Ram Jethmalani started taking many high-profile cases and was a famous defense lawyer.
He also defended the assassins of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi & Rajiv Gandhi.
LK Advani in The Hawala Scam Case in 1990
He also defended Harshad Mehta in the 1992 Scam case.
Lalu Prasad Yadav in Fooder Scam case.
Kanimozhi in 2G Scam case.
Amit Shah in Sohrabuddin Sheikh Encounter case in 2006 and many more.
He was also Rajya Sabha MP for six terms, chairman of the bar council and also served as law minister and minister of urban development
Ram Jethmalani charged 25 Lakh rupees per hearing as per the Quint report. But many of his cases were pro bono (free of cost for underprivileged people). This why we ranked him 1st from top 10 lawyers in India
2. Kapil Sibal (20 lakh per Hearing)
Kapil Sibal was son of Hira Lal Sibal. Hira Lal was also a legend in field of law and was awarded Padma Bhushan by President. Kapil is not only an eminent lawyer and politician but is also gifted with the artistic pursuit of writing and poetry.
He completed his LLB from Delhi University and completed his LLM from Havard University. Kapil Sibal qualified as IAS but refused to join the post because the Government of India thought of him as Naxalite.
Kapil Sibal in his legal career achieved positions such as Additional Solicitor General of India, President of Supreme Court Bar Association and Ministry of Law & Justice, Earth and Science, Human Resource Development, Science and Technology and Communication & IT. He argued landmark cases such as Coal Scam, BCCI Scam, and National Herald Case.
Kapil Sabil charges 20 Lakhs rupees for an appearance in the supreme court. He owns an asset worth 212 crores and is a car enthusiast. He is also an active investor in the stock market investing a total of 10 crores as on date. So we ranked him 2nd from top 10 lawyers in India.
3. Fali S Nariman (15 Lakhs Per Hearing)
Credit - Live Law
Fali Sam Naiman born on 10 January 1929 is a well-known senior lawyer and an Indian jurist. He was the president of the Bar Association of India and a famous jurist of international arbitration and constitution.
Fali Nariman practised as a lawyer in Bombay High Court for 22 years. He defended Union Carbide in the Bhopal Gas Disaster case which he admitted as a mistake. He is a famous negotiator for settling cases outside the court by offering deals for victims from corporates. He also argued in the Gholaknath case, SP Gupta, AOR Association, Narmada Rehabilitation etc
As of today, Fali Nariman charges around 15 Lakhs per hearing in Supreme Court. So he ranks from top 10 lawyers in India.
4. Harish Salve ( 12-15 lakhs per Hearing)
Credit - Kerela Kaumudi
Harish Salve was born on 22 June 1955 and is a Chartered Account and Lawyer by profession. He completed his CA and LLB from Nagpur University. After practising CA, he decided to make his career in the law profession by joining J.B Dadachanji and Co office.
Harish salve appeared in many cases of the Supreme court mainly in the preservation of the environment cases. He became Solicitor General of India in 1999.
He is specialised in Constitutional, Commercial and Taxation matters. He argued the Anti-Dumping Case of the Supreme Court, the Famous Vodafone 2.5 billion tax case. He also argued for top corporates such as Reliance Industries, ITC, TATA Group, and the Kulbhushan Jadhav Case (where he charged 1 Rupee fee to the Government of India) and defended a famous hit-and-run case of Salman Khan.
Harish Salve charges around 12 to 15 Lakhs per hearing in Supreme Court.
5. Soli Sarabjee (8-15 Lakhs per hearing)
Credit - India.com
Soli Sorabjee was an Indian jurist and the only person who served as Attoney General for two terms. He received Padma Vibhushan for his defence of the freedom of expression and protection of human rights.
He completed his education from Government Law College, Mumbai and started practicing in Bombay High Court as senior lawyer.
Soli Sorabjee and Fali Nariman both assisted petitioner counselor in Keshavnand Bharti vs State of Kerela. He was also involved is Maneka Gandhi vs Union of India and appeared in B.P Singhal v Union of India. He was charging around 8-15 Lakhs per hearing.
Sorabjee unfortunately died on 30 April 2021 due to Covid 19 infection.
6. K.K Venugopal (7-15 Lakhs per Hearing)
Credit - Wikipedia
Kottayan Katankot Venugopal is an Indian Constitutional and Senior Lawyer in the Supreme Court of India.
He started his practice under his father in Madras High Court. Also was appointed as the 15th Attorney General of India after Mukul Rotagi. He argued in many high-profile cases and also represented LK Advani and Attal Bihari Vajpayee.
The Government of Bhutan also appointed him to help them draft their constitution. K.K Venugopal charge around 7-15 Lakhs per hearing.
7. Gopal Subramanium (6-15 Lakhs per Hearing)
Credit - Live Law
Gopal Subramanium is the most talented Indian jurist & former Attorney General of India. He also served as Solicitor General of India. His experience in arbitration includes appearing as lead counsel for Indian companies in ICC and domestic arbitrations.
He appeared in many landmark cases including BALCO and acted as counsel for the petitioner in Justice KS Puttaswamy vs Union of India where nine benches of the Supreme Court held that the Right to Privacy is a fundamental Right.
Subramanium charges around 6-15 Lakhs per hearing.
8. Abhishek Singhvi (6-11 lakhs per hearing)
Credit - The Week
Abhishek Singhvi is a lawyer and a politician born on 24 February 1959. He completed his LLB B.A.(Hons.), M.A., PhD, PIL educated at St. Stephen’s College, Trinity College, Cambridge and Harvard University. His father Laxmi Mal Singhvi was also a famous lawyer and was India’s former High Commissioner.
Singhvi became the youngest Additional Solicitor General of India. He won a court case to have President’s Rule in Uttarakhand revoked in 2016. He is also a spokesperson for Indian National Congress.
Singhvi was alleged with another woman in a compromising position to which he denied any wrongdoing. He was also fined Rs. 57 crores penalty by the Income Tax department for failure to furnish proof for his expenditure claimed.
Singhvi charges around 6-11 lakhs per hearing.
9. Salman Khurshid (5-10 lakhs per hearing)
Credit - NDTV
Salman Khurshid is an lawyer, politician and eminent author. He was the Cabinet Minister of the External Affairs. He completed his law from St Edmund Hall of Oxford University.
He appeared for Students of Islamic Movement in India a group which was charged with the terrorist activities. Salman Khurshid wrote many books which triggered disputes among Hindus. He published Sunrise over Ayodhya, Sons of Babur.
Salman Khurshid charges around 5-10 Lakhs per Hearing.
10. Mukhul Rohatgi (5-10 Lakhs per Hearing)
Credit - PTI
Mukul Rohatgi is senior advocate, politician born on 17th August, 1955. His practice areas are constitutional law, corporate law, arbitration, property law, criminal law, taxation, patents and trademark law.
Rohatgi appeared in Gujarat 2002 riot case. He also appeared in Aryan Khan drug case. Rohatgi charges around 5-10 lakhs per hearing.