Senior Advocate at 100: Kerala HC Honours P.B. Menon

Most lawyers who earn the Senior Advocate gown have spent decades arguing before High Court benches. P.B. Menon earned his in the trial courts of Palakkad, days before his 100th birthday. A Gown That Reaches the District Courts: The Kerala High Court has designated Advocate P. Balasubramanian Menon, known as P.B. Menon, as a Senior Advocate. The move followed an initiative by Chief Justice Soumen Sen. The designation was approved on Friday, and a notification was issued on October 12, 2026. It comes ahead of Menon's 100th birthday on October 15. What makes the decision stand out is where Menon has practised. Bar & Bench reports that this may be the first time the Kerala High Court has conferred the designation on a lawyer practising before mofussil courts. The title has traditionally gone to High Court and Supreme Court practitioners. This decision suggests that excellence in trial courts can be recognised at the highest level. From Madras to Palakkad: Menon began practising in 1950 at the Madras High Court. He trained under Kuttikrishnan Menon, who served as Advocate General. After about two years, he returned to Palakkad and joined the criminal lawyer K.S. Ramakrishna Iyer. His early work was mostly criminal law. A conversation with a judge during a case in Kochi changed that, and he moved towards civil law, which became his main field. Few careers show so clearly how one encounter can shape a lifetime of practice. A World Record Built on Routine: In 2023, Menon entered the Guinness World Records as the world's longest-serving lawyer. He had completed 73 years and 60 days in practice, and he still holds the record. He has now been in the profession for more than 76 years. The record matters because it rests on steady, everyday work. Menon did not build his career on landmark headlines. He built it by showing up in court for decades, and that is the quality the High Court has chosen to honour. Why This Recognition Matters: First, it widens the idea of merit. Lawyers in district and taluk courts handle the bulk of the nation's litigation, yet their work rarely draws formal recognition. Second, it values experience and ethics alongside oratory, since a century of life and more than seventy-five years at the Bar reflect a record of public service. Third, it tells younger advocates that the profession rewards persistence and integrity, wherever they practise. The Takeaway: The designation honours one remarkable individual, and it also signals a more inclusive view of who counts as a leader of the Bar. If other High Courts follow Kerala's example, many dedicated trial lawyers could receive long-overdue recognition. For now, a 100-year-old advocate from Palakkad has shown that the legal profession can honour devotion to the courtroom, whatever the age or the court.