Lawyers play a vital role in upholding the justice system and protecting the rights of the citizens. They also handle complex legal issues for individuals, corporations, and governments. Some of the lawyers in India are so renowned and experienced that they charge lakhs of rupees for a single appearance in the court. In this blog post, we will explore the highest paid lawyer in India and their net worth, fees, and achievements.
According to various sources, the highest-paid lawyer in India is Ram Jethmalani, who charges up to Rs. 25 lakh for a single appearance. He is followed by Harish Salve, who charges around Rs. 12 lakh to Rs. 14 lakh per appearance. Other top lawyers in India include Fali S Nariman, KK Venugopal, Gopal Subramaniam, P Chidambaram, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Aryama Sundaram, KTS Tulsi, and Soli Sorabjee.
Top 10 Highest Paid Lawyers in India
1. Ram Jethmalani
He is the highest paid lawyer in India, charging up to Rs. 25 lakh for a single appearance. He is also one of the richest lawyers in India, with a net worth of around Rs. 100 crore. He has also served as the Union Minister of Law and Justice and the Chairman of the Bar Council of India. He passed away in 2019 at the age of 95.
2. Harish Salve
He is the second highest paid lawyer in India, charging around Rs. 12 lakh to Rs. 14 lakh per appearance. He is also one of the wealthiest lawyers in India, with a net worth of around Rs. 80 crore. He has represented some of the biggest corporate clients in the country, such as Reliance Industries, Tata Group, ITC, etc. He has also served as the Solicitor General of India and the President of the London Court of International Arbitration.
3. Fali S Nariman:
He is the third highest paid lawyer in India, charging around Rs. 10 lakh to Rs. 15 lakh per appearance. He is also one of the most respected and influential lawyers in India, with a net worth of around Rs. 50 crore.
4. KK Venugopal:
He is the fourth highest paid lawyer in India, charging around Rs. 5 lakh to Rs. 7.5 lakh per appearance. He is also one of the most eminent and senior lawyers in India, with a net worth of around Rs. 40 crore.
5. Gopal Subramaniam:
He is the fifth highest paid lawyer in India, charging around Rs. 5.5 lakh to Rs. 15 lakh per appearance. He is also one of the most prominent and versatile lawyers in India, with a net worth of around Rs. 30 crore. He has dealt with some of the most complex and challenging cases in the country. He has also served as the Solicitor General of India and the Chairman of the Bar Council of India.
6. P. Chidambaram:
He is the sixth highest paid lawyer in India, charging around Rs. 5 lakh to Rs. 6 lakh per appearance. He is also one of the most influential and powerful lawyers in India, with a net worth of around Rs. 25 crore. He has been involved in some of the most important and political cases in the country. He has also served as the Union Minister of Finance, Home, and Commerce in various governments. He is also a senior leader of the Indian National Congress party.
7. Abhishek Manu Singhvi:
He is the seventh highest paid lawyer in India, charging around Rs. 4.5 lakh to Rs. 6 lakh per appearance. He is also one of the most articulate and eloquent lawyers in India, with a net worth of around Rs. 20 crore. He has represented some of the most prominent and controversial clients in the country, such as the Tata Group, the Ambani brothers, the Birla Group, etc.
8. Aryama Sundaram:
He is the eighth highest paid lawyer in India, charging around Rs. 3.5 lakh to Rs. 5 lakh per appearance. He is also one of the most respected and experienced lawyers in India, with a net worth of around Rs. 15 crore.
9. KTS Tulsi:
He is the ninth highest paid lawyer in India, charging around Rs. 3 lakh to Rs. 4 lakh per appearance. He is also one of the most renowned and senior lawyers in India, with a net worth of around Rs. 10 crore. He has also served as the Additional Solicitor General of India and the President of the Supreme Court Bar Association.
10. Soli Sorabjee:
He is the tenth highest paid lawyer in India, charging around Rs. 2.5 lakh to Rs. 3 lakh per appearance. He is also one of the most eminent and distinguished lawyers in India, with a net worth of around Rs. 8 crore. He has also served as the Attorney General of India twice and the Solicitor General of India once. He has also received the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Shri for his contribution to the legal profession.
Some Famous Cases Handled by Ram Jethmalani
Ram Jethmalani was one of India’s most renowned and controversial lawyers, who took up many high-profile and sensational cases in his long career. Here are some of the most famous cases he handled:
- Prem Ahuja murder case: Jethmalani challenged the jury’s verdict of acquitting naval officer KM Nanavati, who shot his wife’s lover Prem Ahuja in 1959. Jethmalani argued that Nanavati had the intention to kill Ahuja and there was no scuffle between them, as claimed by Nanavati. Jethmalani’s appeal led to the abolition of the jury system in India and Nanavati’s conviction by the bench.
- Indira Gandhi assassination case: Jethmalani defended the accused in the assassination of former prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1984. He challenged the medical evidence of forensic expert Tirath Das Dogra and claimed that there was a religious motivation behind the murder. He also argued that the death sentence of the convicts was unconstitutional.
- Jessica Lal murder case: Jethmalani represented Manu Sharma, the son of a politician, who was accused of killing model Jessica Lal in 1999. Jethmalani questioned the credibility of the eyewitnesses and the ballistic evidence. He also claimed that Sharma was not present at the scene of the crime. Jethmalani’s arguments led to Sharma’s acquittal by the trial court, but he was later convicted by the high court and the Supreme Court.
- Harshad Mehta stock market scam: Jethmalani defended Harshad Mehta, a stockbroker, who was involved in a massive securities fraud in 1992. Jethmalani argued that Mehta was not guilty of any criminal offense and that he was only a victim of the system. Jethmalani also accused the then finance minister Manmohan Singh of being responsible for the scam.
- 2G spectrum case: Jethmalani represented DMK leader Kanimozhi, who was accused of being a beneficiary of the 2G spectrum allocation scam in 2011. Jethmalani argued that Kanimozhi had no role in the scam and that she was being targeted for political reasons. He also challenged the validity of the chargesheet and the sanction for prosecution. Jethmalani’s defense helped Kanimozhi get bail from the high court.
