"LAW IS ALL ABOUT UNDERSTANDING MAN AND MATTER"

In an exclusive interview with BW Businessworld's ROHITCHINTAPALI, Karnataka's newly appointed Advocate General SHASHI KIRAN SHETTY speaks about representing a state, the hijab ban, same-sex marriage and much more. Excerpts

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Could you give us a sense of what your initial years were like as a student of law and then a man of law?

Coming from a family of lawyers, law was all-pervasive, including dinner table conversations. Growing up, I visited my father’s office regularly and spent time there while he worked. From the early days, what drew me to the field of litigation was that one gets to meet people from all walks of life, and you learn about a diverse set of challenges and disputes. There was never a doubt in my mind about pursuing law. I graduated from NLSIU, Bangalore in 1998, and went on to work with a Senior Counsel for a year. However, soon there were compelling suggestions to start my practice independently. Since the past 25 years of my practice, there have been various exciting challenges in terms of handling different kinds of legal matters.

Since you come from a family of lawyers, were there a lot of expectations?

The expectations were huge and there was always an ongoing thought process to keep up with them. The struggles of a first-generation lawyer are different and perhaps in some ways greater, from the expectations that weigh on secondgeneration lawyers and judges. But yes, you are constantly under observation and I was driven to meet those expectations.

Has there been a specific case which has left an indelible mark on you, your practice and general philosophy?