Narayan R has been an Advocate since October 2000. He specialise in Consumer Cases at Thiruvananthapuram. He is the Standing Counsel for various motor vehicle companies, airlines, banking and financial institutions, hospitals, builders and insurance companies amongst various others at the Consumer Commission in Trivandrum. He is also a guest lecturer (on Consumer law) at various law colleges in Kerala under the University of Kerala; a regular speaker at various conferences, debates international conferences on the topic of consumer laws- including radio and tv discussions.
What brought me to Law? What attracted me to the Courtroom?
The fantasist way of putting it would be to say – it was ‘always my calling’ or that ‘I was born to be a lawyer’. But the truth is far away from it. I was somewhat academically challenged.Science and mathematics were beyond my grasp and frankly- it was more due to the prayers of my mother that I could complete X standard without skipping a year. In school- I was home in English and civics. In an era where parents used to push children to go for either engineeringor medicine- my parents thankfully understood my predicament and accepted my wish to take humanities for my higher secondary education. Even then I had no particular focus to seek a career in law. English and history were my favorite subjects and I often thought of pursuing English graduation.
Then during the vacation following the XII standard; while I had enough and more time on my hands- with most of my friends busy with medicine or engineering entrance- there occurred an’event’ that changed my life. (Well that’s the lawyer in me exaggerating things). I saw two movies- A FEW GOOD MEN and a Malayalam movie ORU ABHIBHASHAKANTE CASE DIARY. And I was hooked, sort of spellbound. I imagined myself as Tom Cruise or Mammootty. Around the same time I read a novel by John Grisham- A Time to Kill, and suddenly a career in law began to fascinate me. In mid-1995 I got Admission at Kerala Law Academy Law College.
The five years in law college, participating in moot court competitions- made me confident and for the first time – I felt – Yes, this is my future. I enrolled in 2000. Dreams aplenty, Panglossian optimism aplenty (that’s another thing you gain as a lawyer- you get to use some words- that force others to refer a dictionary), I started my practice at Trivandrum.
But slowly the brutal reality of practice, the predicament of a junior lawyer hit me. Within a year or two many of my classmates who started practice- fizzled out; seeking out other jobs. The biggest challenge was financial stringency. I wouldn’t call it poverty but there was financial starvation. I began to compare myself with others who did their engineering or medicine- or who went abroad seeking greener pastures. By this time (2003) I had got married and we were blessed with a child in 2005. Did I choose wrong…was my decision impulsive-all these thoughts used to go through my mind during those days. I often used to feel frustrated that I couldn’t even take my family even for a vacation to any nearby places. But somewhere deep down- I still had an intuition a sort of fiery belief that trial advocacy is still my calling. And a determination to make it (frankly driven more by a bruised ego and prove myself to others) took hold of me.
By this time I had begun focusing on consumer cases. Slowly and steadily I began to enjoy the challenges of consumer law and practice- especially medical negligence cases. The research and effort in conducting cases of myriad nature ranging from defective consumer products like television or refrigerator; to that of banking, insurance, apartments and buildings, cases concerning airlines et al became a passionately invigorating challenge. Each day posed a fresh challenge. Slowly the hard work began to pay dividends. Starvation gave way to comfort and comfort to sedate luxury.
Now entering into my silver jubilee of advocacy- what has law given me. She has made me humbly proud and modestly arrogant. She has made me confident-but emotionally grounded. She has given me the ability to think with the mind and act with the heart.
Was this journey a solo effort? Was it solely hard work and determination that paid off?
No. Of course there was the blessing of the Almighty. As a junior lawyer, I was blessed to find an office in Gopal & Ahamed that gave me opportunity to harness my skills both in advocacy and legal drafting. I was blessed to find like-minded friends who shared the same journey as that of mine (Advocate Jaideep G. Nair and Late Anoop A.K.) and we all made it together, mutually helping and supporting each other. I am blessed to have colleagues who support me on each hectic day at court. I was blessed to have the support from my late father- who respected the initial days of struggle as a lawyer- trusting in me.
But the biggest blessing I have is my wife Parvathi- who has stood with me, believing in me; consoling me in the darkest of times and encouraging me. Her rock-solid support in taking care of me and our kids- Saraswathi and Janaki has been my biggest fortune. Whatever inspiration, belief or confidence I had, would not have found success but not for Parvathi’s unrelenting and cheerful support.
They say that law is a jealous mistress. Actually she is a passionately jealous mistress and inwhose enticing cham I still feel enthralled and enchanted with a positive vigour to go to the court each day.
Let me conclude paraphrasing Plato- To me, law has given soul to the heart, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and everything.
Published Works: (Selected)
- Lectures on Interpretation of Statutes (Neethi Law House, 2023).
- A Practical Guide on Handling Administrative and Legal Requirements(Neethi Law House, 2022).
- Chapter on Consumer Protection Act in Law Encyclopedia published by State Encyclopedia Dept (2022).
- The Law of Share Buy-backs (Folio Books, 2012).
- The High Court Bench at Thiruvananthapuram: Issues, Myths and Realities (Trivandrum Bar Association, 2008).
- The Law Practice and Procedure of the Micro and Small Enterprises Facilitation Council (Law Book Centre, 2007).
- The Law Relating to the Industry Facilitation Council (Swamy Law House, 2006).
- A Fiction of Law (Picturing Justice Journal, University of San Francisco, 2001).
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