"I did not join a senior's chamber."

This video is the first part of Aju John's interview with Mumbai-based Senior Advocate Majid Memon.

"I am born in Mumbai and all my school and college education was in Mumbai. I studied in an Urdu medium school called Anjuman-I-Islam. Went on to complete my graduation from the National College, Bandra in Economics and Political Science. After this I studied law in Government Law College, Churchgate. In the year 1973 I enrolled myself at the Bar."

"Government Law College is one of the best law colleges, not only in Mumbai but also in Maharashtra. I had the privilege of being the batchmate of present stalwarts like G.E.Vahanvati, the current Attorney General of India. Present Supreme Court Justice Gokhale and Justice Shah who was the ex-Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court were my classmates during the college days."

Majid Meon also spoke about his relationship with Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer. "Justice Krishna Iyer is a great humanist. If the almighty can have any exception to the natural deterioration to the process of human existence, then he must be the exception. Justice Krishna Iyer and his name will be remembered eternally."

Talking about how his association with Justice Krishna Iyer began he said, "I asked him some question at a meeting at the SNDT College that he was attending in Mumbai. The question attracted him so much that he held my hand and never let me go till he convinced me of the answer."

"When I finished law, I had very tempting job offers on hand. Something within me said no. I believed I would be a successful lawyer." He realised that his calling was advocacy and he followed that path. Despite resistance and non-cooperation from family members, he went ahead and enrolled at the Bombay Bar. He took this up as a challenge and excelled. He did not join any chamber or senior. Within months of practice he was able to buy a car and establish himself as a good lawyer.

He said that the three important things for lawyer to succeed are, "the person must be of average intelligence, which can be sharpened by constant work, hard work, and most importantly is integrity. It is essential to be loyal and faithful to the cause you are standing for."

Cases relating to fatal driving was amongst his first few cases, which was handled by Advocate Memon. "It was a difficult case to protect someone who has killed someone while driving. However, I successfully defended him and he was acquitted." He also described himself as being "ahead of his times."

Presentation skills are very important for a lawyer. "I used to practice at the Magistrate's Court in the beginning. If you want to become a lawyer of substance, you should be a trial court lawyer. It is the trial, which teaches you. It is a school for a lawyer."

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