Gujarat High Court Fixes 45-Year Minimum Age for Senior Advocate Title
The Gujarat High Court has notified new rules for the designation of Senior Advocates, introducing stricter eligibility and conduct guidelines.
As per the High Court of Gujarat (Designation of Senior Advocates) Rules, 2025, a lawyer must be at least 45 years old and have 20 years of standing at the Bar to be considered. The lawyer should ordinarily practise before the Gujarat High Court at Ahmedabad, or before district courts and specialised tribunals in the State.
The rules also state that a Senior Advocate:
- Cannot mention cases in court or seek adjournments.
- Must mentor and guide 2–3 junior lawyers with less than three years of practice.
- Must show active contribution to pro bono work and possess strong legal knowledge, distinction, and reputation.
To qualify, the applicant must not have been convicted of any offence, punished for contempt of court, or found guilty of professional misconduct by the Bar Council of Gujarat or Bar Council of India.
The process for designating Senior Advocates will be initiated at least once every year through a permanent Secretariat, constituted by the Chief Justice. Applications must be endorsed by two Senior Advocates with at least ten years of standing. Lawyers are also required to submit 50 judgments from the past five years.
Applications from those practising outside the High Court may be verified through judicial officers. The final decision will rest with the Full Court, taken either unanimously or by majority vote.
If an application is rejected, the candidate can reapply only after two years. Further, the designation may be revoked in cases of misconduct or other specified grounds by a Full Court decision.
The new framework, notified on September 16, 2025, seeks to ensure that the Senior Advocate designation reflects both professional excellence and ethical responsibility.
