Bench, bar and barkeepers

The question confronting the Nepal Bar Association today is whether its members should practise law or politics.

Elated after clearing the advocate licensing exam, a young lawyer—adorned in a new black suit and white shirt—walks into the Bar but is told to “be seated behind the furniture railing”. Dispirited, the person walks into a bar where the bartender says, “You can’t practice law here”. Both the Bar and the bar serve as metaphors here, but they are significant in understanding the challenges young lawyers face after years of formal education and passing the bar exams following admission to the Bar.