Law must blend technology with empathy, says Justice Kotiswar Singh

CHENNAI: Supreme Court Judge Justice N Kotiswar Singh on Saturday urged young legal minds to embrace emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, cautioning that the digital transformation of law must be guided by empathy and human values.

Stressing that law is not merely a profession but “a service to the nation,” he said the challenge before society is to integrate the precision of science with the compassion of law to address human problems.

Speaking at an event organised by a private university here, Justice Singh noted that most AI-driven legal software today is being developed by technology players “with little knowledge of law”, even as the demand for legal innovation is immense in society.

“Those who are experts in law and legal services should learn emerging technologies. I urge them to learn,” he said, underlining the importance of bridging the gap between technological advancement and legal practice.

The judge also linked law with India's cultural and historical depth, pointing to the Keezhadi excavations in Tamil Nadu that challenged earlier notions of the Harappan civilisation as the earliest urban society. “We have to go back to our past and rediscover our rich culture and history,” he said, adding that the Chola legacy of building temples across Asia exemplified India's civilisational outreach.

Justice Singh recalled that Tamil Nadu has made seminal contributions to Indian jurisprudence, citing Sir T Muthuswamy Iyer, the first Indian judge of the Madras High Court. He urged students to read and internalise the Preamble of the Constitution, describing it as the “divine mantra” that continues to guide the nation. “Justice is based on Dharma, and Dharma is a way of life,” he observed, quoting a couplet from Thirukkural to highlight the timelessness of India's constitutional values.

Encouraging first-generation law graduates not to be intimidated by the profession, he likened law to a marathon offering “enormous opportunities” in areas such as mediation, arbitration, and cyber law. With India aspiring to emerge as a global hub for arbitration following the enactment of the Mediation Act, 2023, he urged young lawyers to adopt the “IOA framework—Interest, Opportunities, and Ability.”

Justice Singh further emphasised the need for an interdisciplinary approach to legal education, especially in an era of rising cyber frauds, cross-cultural marriages, and complex family disputes that require sensitivity to India's diversity. He also expressed admiration for the richness of the Tamil language, noting his own attempts to learn it, and called on law students to deepen their understanding of Indian culture beyond their own regions.

“Knowing the law is power, living the law is duty, and utilising the power of law for those seeking justice is the ultimate end of law,” Justice Singh reminded the gathering, urging graduates to uphold empathy as the cornerstone of their profession while keeping pace with the opportunities of a digital world.