Welcome back y'all to yet another intriguing conversation that we're going to have this week, which is about... when to go legal, that is, pursuing the legal path in the hope for justice.
What made me decide to touch upon this topic was the case of Lokesh Chugh, the PhD scholar from Delhi University (DU) who was debarred from the varsity earlier this year and had filed a plea with the Delhi High Court and like always, I'll be focusing on equipping you to rationalise, understand and decide when to explore legal options on a larger picture which you can apply to almost any situation. So, let's get started people!
READ MORE: https://www.edexlive.com/news/2023/may/24/du-phd-scholar-lokesh-chugh-moves-delhi-hc-once-more-against-varsity-35415.html
The first step before accepting fate is escalate!
Before you say, "Duh! As if I didn't know!" let me tell you that I make it a point to educate people about the escalation matrix which is a common practice in most cases. I emphasise on asking or getting this information as, in most cases, when the issues are escalated to the right people... things have been sorted without getting into legal complications altogether. I'm just trying to ensure that you have all your bases covered.
#Coach'sFormula — CAA
Before you jump the gun, let me be clear that I'm not talking about the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) but am referring to my own technique or formula that I've used when I've reached a similar dilemma in my life. My version of CAA in this context stands for Confess, Assess and Address!
Confess: Again, don't let your imagination run wild and assume that I'm talking about confessing during an interrogation or in a courtroom, all I'm asking you to do here is to be true to yourself. Take a moment, relax and do your best to ensure that you're not at fault. Even if you are, be true to yourself and accept it which is nothing but confessing that you're liable too, to yourself first.
This step is very important as it helps you understand your exposure and the blowback that you can expect and then strategise accordingly.
Assess: This phase is where you understand the gravity of the situation, whether it's a disastrous skydive without a parachute or a successful bungee jump! You need to have answers to questions like, "Are my rights being trampled/violated?", "Is this going to hamper my future (in any aspect, professional, personal, even on the emotional front)?", "Am I being treated unfairly?" or simply whether it's a big deal that will cause you unnecessary complications. Period!
This is also the phase in which you plan your approach and decide whether you want to go all in, 'Do or Die' style, or if there are other options like arbitration, mediation, negotiation or a complete resolution.
Address: Pretty self-explanatory, ain't it? This is the phase wherein you need to seek legal counsel if you've decided to go ahead in the particular route and nothing else worked out for you. Not just that, you also need to decide on who shall represent you, their fees, whether it is affordable, even if it's not... then you'll need to do a cost vs benefit analysis and then go ahead, all guns blazing! Like the great Harvey Specter says (From the TV series, Suits), "When you’re backed against the wall, break the goddamn thing down!"
Pro Tip: Ensure that you have your SET covered and have considered them in depth.
When I say SET, I refer to settlements, evidence and time.
Consider all the settlement options and see if they're worth it. Ensure that you have gathered all the required evidence or rather equip yourself to furnish the most compelling evidence that shall work in your favour. Last but not the least, remember that you'll need to take out time as legal battles aren't easy nor fast. You need to be prepared to be patient and patience, in most cases, shall prevail.
As I wish that things work out for all of you and justice prevails, I rest my case...
With regards,
Adarsh Benakappa Basavaraj
"Your Coach"
