Legal experts for permanent global legal body

Legal experts have asked for creation of a permanent international body on the lines of World Trade Organisation to facilitate the opening up of legal sector globally and creation of a level playing field.     

"A permanent global body should come up to monitor the concept of opening up legal sector, develop a consensus and facilitate it," Former Chief Justice of India R C Lahoti said on the sidelines of a seminar organised by Amity Law School here today.     

There are international bodies for arbitration at global level, he said and asked the United Nations to play an active role for bringing the global legal reforms.     

"United Nations can do it. There are international bodies for arbitration. UN should come up with an international body to facilitate the entry of law firms of one country into the other," he said, adding that the Indian government should also take the imitative.     

When asked about the opposition to the idea of opening up legal sector by Indian bar members, he said, "Initial resistance will be there. It won't survive for long. Now, the economy has opened, borders are opening. Opening up of the legal sector in the era of globalisation is inevitable."     

Endorsing his views, Amity Law School Associate Professor Vijay Kumar Himanshu also said that a global body will lead to creation of a level playing field for the law firms to compete.     

"I will support such a move to set up an international body for the purpose.... Foreign law firms want to come here and practice but do not want Indian firms to practice on their soil. There has to have a level playing field," he said.