Draft:Pradeep Rai
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|  |
Pradeep Kumar Rai | |
|---|---|
| Alma mater | Banaras Hindu University |
| Occupations | Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court of India , Legal Scholar, Public Policy Advocate |
| Known for | Constitutional litigation, legal aid, prison reform |
Pradeep Kumar Rai is an Indian lawyer, Senior Advocate, and senior mediator at the Supreme Court of India. He has over 25 years of standing at the Bar and practices in civil, criminal, constitutional, and commercial law.[1] He is currently serving in leadership and advisory roles in legal and policy institutions, including as the elected Vice-President of the Indian Society of International Law (ISIL) and the Chairman of the India Legal Research Foundation (ILRF).[2]
Early life and education
[edit]Rai is a first-generation lawyer from a middle-class background with no prior family history in the legal profession.[3]
He completed his Master of Arts and LL.B. (Hons.) from Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Faculty of Law, in 1998.[4] He has also been described as having received an honorary LL.D. from Invertis University, Bareilly.
| Degree | Institution | Year |
|---|---|---|
| M.A. (Master of Arts) | Banaras Hindu University | |
| LL.B. (Hons.) | Faculty of Law, Banaras Hindu University | 1998 |
| LL.D (Honorary) | Invertis University, Bareilly |
Pre-legal career and media work
[edit]Before joining full-time legal practice, Rai was associated with journalism and broadcasting. Prior to 2000, he produced and anchored several programmes for Doordarshan, including the public affairs programme Mantriji Hazir Hain.[5]
Legal career
[edit]Early legal career and human rights work
[edit]In his early years of practice, Rai closely worked with former Chief Justices of India M. N. Venkatachaliah and J. S. Verma in connection with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on human rights and prison reform matters. He was involved in seminars, prison reform initiatives, and policy discussions connected with human rights and institutional reform.
His initiatives also extended to public policy research, including the preparation of Human Development Reports for northeastern states in association with the Planning Commission of India.[6]
Senior Advocate designation and practice
[edit]Rai was designated as a Senior Advocate by the Supreme Court of India in 2015.[7][8] He practices before the Supreme Court of India, various High Courts, tribunals, and regulatory bodies. His areas of practice include civil, criminal, constitutional, revenue, and commercial litigation.[9]
He has represented the Union of India and various State Governments, including Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Maharashtra. He has also appeared as counsel in high-profile celebrity, commercial, and political litigation.[10][11][12]
He maintains professional offices in Delhi, Noida, Mumbai, and Lucknow, with his primary practice based in New Delhi focusing on Supreme Court and appellate matters.
Bar Association leadership
[edit]Rai served as Vice-President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) for two consecutive terms (2020–2021 and 2021–2022).[13][14]
During his tenure, he founded and chaired several sub-committees, including the Grievance Redressal Committee, E-Committee, Health Committee, Housing Committee, Bar Coordination Committee, and Cultural Committee. He has also been a Presidential Candidate for the SCBA.[15]
He initiated and supported multiple welfare measures for advocates, including:
• Discounted air travel schemes and FastTag facilities
• Free medical and health insurance initiatives
• Reopening of the Railway Reservation Counter within the Supreme Court premises
• Registration of the Supreme Court Co-operative Housing Society with land allotment in Noida for affordable housing for Supreme Court lawyers.
He is listed as a Patron Member of the Bar Association of India.[16] He has conducted seminars, educational programmes, and prison reform discussions under the aegis of the Bar and associated institutions, promoting educational and professional competence.
Institutional leadership
[edit]Indian Society of International Law (ISIL)
[edit]Rai is currently serving in an institutional capacity as the elected Vice-President of the Indian Society of International Law (ISIL), contributing to academic engagement, public policy discussions, and international law initiatives.[17]
India Legal Research Foundation (ILRF) & India Legal Aid Centre
[edit]As Chairman of the India Legal Research Foundation (ILRF), Rai has worked on legal research, policy development, and access to justice initiatives. Under ILRF, he launched the India Legal App, a multilingual legal aid platform aimed at assisting economically weaker sections in accessing legal remedies.[18][19]
He is also associated with the India Legal Aid Centre, focusing on providing structured legal assistance and mentorship to young legal professionals. The internship and mentorship programmes under these institutions are designed to train first-generation lawyers and promote professional ethics, research skills, and public service orientation.
National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA)
[edit]Rai served as Vice-Chairman of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), functioning under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to oversee and monitor anti-doping measures in Indian sports.[20]
Alternative dispute resolution and mentorship
[edit]Mediation
[edit]Rai has strongly advocated for mediation and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, stating publicly that the future of the legal profession lies in preventing disputes rather than prolonging litigation.[21] He is a senior mediator and has reportedly trained over 300 lawyers in mediation and arbitration.[22]
Mentorship programme
[edit]Through his structured mentorship programme, Rai has mentored law students and young legal professionals from across various states of India.[23][24] His chamber provides academic guidance, practical court exposure, and research training to interns at multiple professional locations, including Delhi, Noida, and Mumbai. The initiative focuses on developing courtroom skills, drafting proficiency, ethical legal practice, and public service orientation among first-generation and emerging lawyers.
Rai has also conducted talent hunts across various cultural spheres in rural areas, bringing emerging talent to the mainstream through initiatives such as the Purvanchal Mahotsav.
He is a regular speaker at felicitation functions, legal gatherings, and media platforms discussing law and justice.[25][26]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "Mr. Pradeep Rai Is A Senior Advocate". APN News. 9 August 2022.
- ↑ "Executive Council Members". Indian Society of International Law. 3 September 2021.
- ↑ "In conversation with Pradeep Rai on the bottlenecks of some evolving institutions". SCC Online. 16 April 2022.
- ↑ "Placement and Internship Committee, Faculty Of Law, BHU". LinkedIn – BHU Law School. 27 February 2021.
- ↑ "In conversation with Pradeep Rai". SCC Online. 16 April 2022.
- ↑ "Mr. Pradeep Rai Is A Senior Advocate". APN News. 9 August 2022.
- ↑ "Pradeep Rai". FindAdvocate. 13 September 2025.
- ↑ "Pradeep Rai: Senior Advocate at Supreme Court". BharatiyaMedia. 16 October 2024.
- ↑ "Roll of Advocates [Part-A]". Allahabad High Court.
- ↑ "'They tried to trap him:' Amitabh Bachchan's lawyer sheds light on the actor's farmland case". The Indian Express. 25 November 2023.
- ↑ "Sanjay Dutt, Amitabh Bachchan ke vakeel Pradeep Rai ne Bollywood". The Lallantop (YouTube). 23 November 2023.
- ↑ "Sr. Advocate Pradeep Rai on Underworld, Politics & Bollywood". TRS Hindi (YouTube). 10 March 2023.
- ↑ "Senior Advocate Pradeep Kumar Rai elected Supreme Court Bar Association Vice-President for second time running". India Legal Live. 6 October 2022.
- ↑ "SCBA Elections 2020-21 results announced; Senior Advocate Vikas Singh to be the next President". SCC Online. 27 February 2021.
- ↑ "She Is Doing This On Behest Of Mr Sibal: Senior Advocate Pradeep Rai". Verdictum. 14 May 2024.
- ↑ "Shri Pradeep Kumar Rai Senior Advocate – Patron Member Profile" (PDF). Bar Association of India.
- ↑ "Executive Council Members". Indian Society of International Law. 3 September 2021.
- ↑ "India Legal app will provide access to justice to underprivileged: Senior Advocate Pradeep Rai". India Legal. 21 September 2023.
- ↑ "ILRF India Legal App". India Legal (YouTube). 17 June 2023.
- ↑ "Pradeep Rai". 4C Legal.
- ↑ "Senior Advocate Pradeep Rai bats for mediation". India Legal. 19 November 2023.
- ↑ "Mr. Pradeep Rai is a first-generation Senior Advocate". India Legal. 16 September 2023.
- ↑ "Orientation Programme at IMS Law College". India Legal (YouTube). 14 September 2023.
- ↑ "Guiding Future Advocates: Senior Advocate Pradeep Rai's Address at DME Law School Orientation". YouTube. 26 September 2023.
- ↑ "My Speech At Felicitation Function In Honour Of 8 Newly Appointed Judges Of SC". YouTube. 11 April 2023.
- ↑ "Advocate Pradeep Rai EXPOSES the Dark Side of Law and Justice". Pinkvilla (YouTube). 7 January 2025.
Category:Living people Category:Indian lawyers Category:20th-century Indian lawyers Category:21st-century Indian lawyers Category:Banaras Hindu University alumni Category:People from Kushinagar district Category:Supreme Court of India
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