Homer Pithawalla

Last updated

Professor Homer D. Pithawalla is a practising advocate of the Supreme Court of India and Bombay High Court as well as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and the Supreme Court of Hong Kong. He is also the senior-most professor of law at the Government Law College, Mumbai [1] and is recognised as one of India's leading experts on Corporate laws (Contract law & Company law) and Competition law.

Career

Prof. Pithawalla graduated from St Xavier's College, before completing his degree in law Government Law College, the oldest common law college in Asia, where he has been teaching for over 45 years. [2] [3] Prof. Pithawalla then articled as a clerk, and passed the Bombay Incorporated Law Society's Solicitor's Examination. He completed his LLM in Business and Constitutional Law in 1970, joining academia in 1972 as a teacher at GLC.

Prof. Pithawalla's students include Supreme Court and High Court Judges (including one Chief Justice of India), Attorneys-General, Advocates-General, Ministers, and advocates from all over the world. Initially a Professor of company law, he now also lectures on contract law, property law, family law, constitutional law, legal language, and the conflict of laws. Prof. Pithawalla is also qualified to practice as a solicitor in England and Hong Kong, and is a life member of the Academy of American and International Law at the University of Texas at Dallas.

Apart from teaching at Government Law College for 52 long years, Prof. Pithawalla had been invited to lecture at the Harvard Law School, the Law School at La Sorbonne (Paris, France), the University of Cambridge, the International Bar Association, the Institute of Chartered Accountants and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries.

He was also invited by the Royal Government of Bhutan to draft a contract law for their country. In the course of his visit to Bhutan, his draft was discussed at a workshop chaired by the Attorney General of Bhutan. This Act has now come into force in Bhutan.

A reputed legal academic, [4] known for his generally helpful attitude, [5] Prof Pithawalla currently serves as the chairman of the Government Law College Placement Committee. [6] He is known to take up causes, including speaking out about the infrastructural problems that plague the college, which is widely believed to have contributed to the "running internship" style of education at GLC, wherein students prefer to intern with firms or as paralegals for their legal education, rather than attend lectures. [7]

Prof. Pithawalla is also the author and editor of a series of textbooks, widely used by Indian law students for law exam preparation. [8] [9] [10] Apart from editing several student-oriented law books, he has authored a series of books on Company Law, Environment Law, Administrative Law, Land Laws, and The Indian Divorce Act, including the Leading Cases on the Law of Contracts. His book, Legal Language, Legal Writing & General English, is a standard text for law students as well as civil and judicial services aspirants.

Prof. Pithawalla speaks English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati and French. In addition to teaching French, he has been associated with Alliance Francaise de Bombay since many years. He is also the Vice President of the Franco-Indian Lawyers' Association (FILA).

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Law School of India University</span> Public Law School in India

National Law School of India University (NLSIU), or simply National Law School(NLS), is a public law school and a National Law University in Bangalore. The university was established by the NLSIU Act of 1986, which was passed by the Karnataka Legislative Assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">N. R. Madhava Menon</span> Indian legal scholar

Neelakanta Ramakrishna Madhava Menon was an Indian civil servant, lawyer and legal educator, considered by many as the father of modern legal education in India. He is the founder of National Law Universities system and first director of the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) and the National Judicial Academy, Bhopal and the founder-vice-chancellor of the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS). He has also served as Chairman of Indian Statistical Institute from 2002 to 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Graham Virgo</span> English legal scholar

Graham John Virgo is an English legal academic, barrister and university administrator, who is Professor of English Private Law at the University of Cambridge and Master of Downing College, Cambridge. He is frequently cited in the English courts and those of other common law jurisdictions, and known for his contributions to the law of restitution and the teaching of law. He was previously Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor at the University of Cambridge and assumed the role of Master of Downing College, Cambridge, on 1 October 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College, Chennai</span> Law college in Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College, commonly known by its former name Madras Law College, is a law school, located in Chennai (Madras), Tamil Nadu, India. It is also referred to as Government Law College or GLC, Chennai. It was established in 1891. It was renamed in 1990, as Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College, by the Government of Tamil Nadu in commemoration of the birth centenary of B. R. Ambedkar. In 1997, the Government of Tamil Nadu passed an Act which brought the college under the wings of the newly established Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University, splitting the college from the University of Madras.

Vithal Mahadeo Tarkunde, was a prominent Indian lawyer, civil rights activist, and humanist leader and has been referred to as the "Father of the Civil Liberties movement" in India and a former judge of the Bombay High Court The Supreme Court of India also praised him as "undoubtedly the most distinguished judge of the post-Chagla 1957 period" in the Bombay High Court.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiren Rijiju</span> Indian politician (born 1971)

Kiren Rijiju is an Indian politician who is serving as 28th Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, 7th Minister of Minority Affairs since 2024. He was the Cabinet Minister of Earth Sciences and Food Processing Industries in the Government of India since 2023 till June 2024 and a member of the parliament in Lok Sabha from Arunachal West since 2014 and from 2004 to 2009. Earlier, he served as the Minister of State for Home Affairs from 2014 to 2019, Minister of State for Minority Affairs from 2019 to 2021, Minister of State for Sports and Youth Affairs from 2019 to 2021 and the Law minister from 2021 to 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government Law College, Mumbai</span> Law college in Maharastha

The Government Law College, Mumbai,, India, founded in 1855, is the oldest law school in Asia. The college, affiliated to the University of Mumbai, is run by the Government of Maharashtra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Faculty of Law, University of Delhi</span> Law School of the University of Delhi

The Faculty of Law, University of Delhi is the law department of the University of Delhi. It has the unique distinction of producing the largest number of sitting judges of the Supreme Court of India.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong Faculty of Law is a law school in Hong Kong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashok Desai</span> Indian lawyer (1932–2020)

Ashok H. Desai was an Indian lawyer, practising in the Supreme Court of India. He held office as the Attorney General of India from 9 July 1996 to 6 May 1998. Earlier, he was the Solicitor General of India from 18 December 1989 to 2 December 1990. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan award and the Law Luminary Award in 2001. He was given an honorary doctorate in "recognition of his contribution to the field of law and jurisprudence" by the North Orissa University in September 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">K. K. Venugopal</span> Indian constitutional lawyer

Kottayan Katankot Venugopal is an Indian constitutional lawyer and a senior advocate in the Supreme Court of India. He was enrolled as an advocate on January 27, 1954. On 1 July 2017, he was appointed as the Attorney General of India and retired on 30 September 2022. He is Patron of SAARCLAW and earlier has been its President. He is founder of M K Nambyar SAARCLAW Centre For Advanced Legal Studies at the NALSAR University of Law.

Tehmtan R. Andhyarujina was an Indian lawyer and jurist. He was a designated senior advocate and practised at the Supreme Court of India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government Law College, Thiruvananthapuram</span> Law college in Kerala

Government Law College, Thiruvananthapuram also known as GLC Trivandrum, is an institution for legal education at graduate and post-graduate levels in Kerala, India. Established by the then Maharaja of the state of Travancore in 1875, it is one of the oldest law colleges in India, and is affiliated to the University of Kerala. Alumni of the college consists of judges of the Supreme Court of India including Justice Fathima Beevi, judges of various High Courts, statesmen and noted academicians like N. R. Madhava Menon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gopal Subramanium</span> Senior advocate in the Supreme Court of India

Gopal Subramanium is an Indian lawyer, international arbitrator, academic and Senior Advocate who practices primarily in the Supreme Court of India and the Delhi High Court. He served as the Solicitor General of India 2009–2011 and Additional Solicitor General of India 2005–2009. He served as Chairman of the Bar Council of India 2010–2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government Law College, Ernakulam</span> Law College in Kochi, Kerala, India

The Government Law College, Ernakulam, also known as His Highness the Maharajas Government Law College, Ernakulam is an prestigious institution for undergraduate and post-graduate legal education in Kochi, Kerala, India. Founded in 1874, it is the first law college in the state of Kerala and one of the oldest law colleges in India. The Campus is situated on the banks of Vembanad Lake and is near to Marine Drive and High Court of Kerala. Blanketed by tall and rare species of trees, its campus features a mix of old and modern architecture. The college is recognised by Bar Council of India and affiliated to the Faculty of Law, Mahatma Gandhi University in Kottayam and is a reputed Research Centre in Law. The college’s prestigious alumni includes former Chief Justice of India K. G. Balakrishnan, Noted Indian actor Padma Shree Mammootty, former Defence Minister of India A. K. Antony, and former Chief Minister of Kerala Oommen Chandy. It is popularly known as Ernakulam Law College or Maharajas Law College.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smt. Vinatadevi Tope Social Service League</span>

Smt. Vinatadevi Tope Social Service League is one of the oldest and most prestigious student committees of Government Law College, Mumbai. The league was established in 1966 by then Principal Dr. Trimbak Krishna Tope in the fond memory of his late wife, Smt. Vinatieri Tope. The league celebrated its semicentennial anniversary in the academic year 2015-16.

The Faculty of Law, Aligarh Muslim University is the law school of the Aligarh Muslim University which has a history of over 100 years of teaching and writing law. Law classes were inaugurated by Justice Douglas Straight on December 29, 1891.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maharashtra National Law University, Nagpur</span> Public law school in Maharashtra, India

Maharashtra National Law University, Nagpur (MNLU) is a National Law University and a public law school established by the government through the Maharashtra National Law University Act. The university is the 19th National Law University established in India and is located in the Orange City of Nagpur, Maharashtra. Hon'ble Supreme Court Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai serves as the chancellor of the institution.

Pushpa Virendra Ganediwala is an Indian lawyer. She was previously an additional judge of the Bombay High Court, but resigned in 2022, after the Supreme Court of India took the unusual step of refusing to confirm her appointment to the High Court as permanent, after she delivered several controversial judgments concerning cases of sexual assaults against women and children.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">G. N. Saibaba</span> Activist and academician

Gokarakonda Naga "G. N." Saibaba is an Indian scholar, writer, human rights activist, and former assistant professor.

References

  1. "Faculty | Government Law College".
  2. Saigal, Sonam (2 October 2018). "Fall from glory: Teacher holds up a mirror to India's oldest law college". The Hindu.
  3. "The lessons they've learnt". www.mumbaimirror.com. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  4. "India News - Latest & Live Business, Market, Political & Economy News Headlines". October 2018.
  5. "Clueless bankers still roam free". 19 January 2012.
  6. "Message from the Chairman of Committee | Government Law College".
  7. Saigal, Sonam (2 October 2018). "Fall from glory: Teacher holds up a mirror to India's oldest law college". The Hindu.
  8. "'+Title+'". www.booksindianlaw.com. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  9. "'+Title+'". www.indianbooksondevelopmentstudies.com. Archived from the original on 13 July 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  10. "'+Title+'". Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2011.