The Hindu : National : "Specialise in cross-country legal issues"

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Sunday, Apr 10, 2005

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National

"Specialise in cross-country legal issues"

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, APRIL 9. Laws relating to environment, human rights, foreign direct investment and information technology are "cross-country" in nature, and the global community is keen on a quick resolution of disputes in such matters, said Justice Y.K. Sabharwal, Supreme Court Judge.

Inaugurating the Chennai centre of the International Law Association (ILA) here today, he said the challenges emanating from such issues could not be faced by the government alone. Organisations such as the ILA could think of legal frameworks having social and economic problems in mind in such circumstances.

Mr. Justice Sabharwal said there was a rapid increase in international commercial litigation and arbitration. Describing it as a problem of the whole world, Mr. Justice Sabharwal said that when development took place it was necessary to understand its implications and the side effects, and to ensure that it was sustainable. Protection of environment and development were not antithetical. "They are friends, who must go hand in hand."

He said the new developments in law had given the "greatest opportunity" to young lawyers who were keen on specialisation. The Chief Justice of the Madras High Court and Chairman of the ILA, Justice Markandey Katju, said that more and more WTO and TRIPS regime-related cases were coming up.

The ILA's regional branch secretary and Judge of the Delhi High Court, Justice Vijender Jain, expressing surprise at the delay in establishing a regional centre of the over 100-year-old ILA in Chennai, said it was important for advocates and judges to understand the content and scope of international trade regime.

While the executive chairman of the ILA's Chennai Centre, Justice M. Karpagavinayagam, said it would promote international understanding and goodwill, the vice-chairman, Justice P. Sathasivam, said a void had been filled. Justice P.D. Dinakaran, the Supreme Court Bar Association president, P.H. Parekh, the Advocate-General, N.R. Chandran, and the convener of the meeting, Habibullah Badsha, spoke.

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