Is Litigation a One-Night Stand or a Long-Term Relationship Full of Sleepless Nights?

Prabhat Bandhulya
Jun 2
3 min read

Updated: Jun 3

Yes we are living in the world of instant coffee, two minute noodles and unfortunately instant career expectations. Many law students and their families are expecting quick success as if place in Bar is just about Studying for a Year or Memorizing some sections. Or its same as courtroom dramas in films and web series about shouting Objection, My Lord ! and walking out of court like a hero. Let’s clear the air with one simple, brutally honest truth:

Litigation isn’t a one-night stand. It’s a commitment — full of long hours, unpredictable outcomes, emotional drama, and sleepless nights.

In the law school, everything feels fresh. You’re excited about debates, courtroom dramas, and maybe even a little obsessed with Suits or Jolly LLB.

When You walk into the court with dreams of arguing its totally different. You’re told to carry your senior’s files, wait four hours at court, only for the matter to get postponed in thirty seconds. And remember, there’s no air-conditioning, no salary, and definitely no junior chamber with a cappuccino machine.

Reletionship with Bar is long, exhausting, deeply committed one that will test your patience, challenge your ego, and sometimes make you question your sanity. But if you stay, it can also be the most rewarding love story of your life

The Reality Check

Its not for the one who is looking for shortcut. Its made for the people who are ready to fight for the right words in a sentence. Defend logic in courtroom . Stand tall even when everyone else is confused.

Litigation is not a shortcut to glory — it’s a slow grind of process, paperwork, and patience. This is the part where people either give up, or fall deeply in love with the law.

You’ll spend months understanding how a simple adjournment works. Years figuring out how to argue without being eaten alive by opposing counsel.

In every complicated relationship, communication becomes a battlefield. Litigation is no different.

Your client gives incomplete, sometimes contradictory information.
Your senior gives instructions like riddles wrapped in sarcasm.
The opposing counsel sends you late documents with a sly grin.
The court staff mumbles hearing dates you didn’t catch.

Everyone’s talking, but no one’s listening. You find yourself stuck in a game of legal Chinese whispers, trying to piece together what’s actually happening. This is when the emotional fatigue sets in. You begin to realize: this isn’t going to be simple.

Sleepless Nights:

If you will ask young litigator about sleep, and they’ll either laugh or cry.

Between researching citations till 2 a.m., drafting petitions, dealing with clients who want updates at 11 p.m., and prepping cross-examinations, sleep becomes a mythical concept.

But it’s not just about the hours—it’s about the emotional weight. You worry:

Did I miss a deadline?
Will the judge even hear me?
Is this case going in the right direction?
What if I lose? Will the client blame me?

Litigation, like a toxic relationship, demands your time, your energy, your weekends, and sometimes, your mental peace.

Why We Still Stay

Despite all this struggles most litigators stay. Why? Because there’s something romantic about the fight. About standing in court, using logic, words, and law to shape someone’s future. There’s power in knowing your argument turned the tide. There’s beauty in a well-reasoned judgment.

It’s not instant gratification—it’s slow-brewed justice. And for those who thrive on intellectual adrenaline, it’s addictive. If you survive the heartbreak and the hard work, the law gives back. Maybe not in two minutes, but definitely in due time.

You get The power to change lives through justice. The ability to understand the system most people fear.The opportunity to speak up — and be heard. And most importantly, you get the satisfaction that you earned every bit of it.

it’s complicated.

If you're a young litigator, law student, or someone watching from the outside, remember this: litigation is not sexy. It’s not like the movies. It’s messy, hard, and deeply personal.

But it’s also one of the last remaining spaces where a single voice can change lives. Where words matter. Where justice—though slow—can be shaped.

So if you find yourself knee-deep in files, sleepless, and second-guessing everything—know that you’re not alone. You’re just in a long-term relationship. With the law.

And like all relationships, it’s complicated.