How to Apply for Panel Advocates in Banks And Earn Stable Income?

Banks often maintain a roster of external lawyers — called “panel advocates” or “empanelled advocates / firms” — whom they engage to handle court cases, recovery proceedings, legal vetting, documentation, title-search, loan-recovery suits, and other banking-related litigation / legal work.
Being appointed on such a panel does not mean you’re a full-time employee of the bank; it is a professional-contract relationship. 

Typical Eligibility Criteria for Empanelment

Although criteria vary somewhat from bank to bank, here are common/recurring requirements:

• Must hold a recognized degree in law from a university recognised by the Bar Council of India (BCI) and be formally enrolled with the relevant State Bar Council for practice. 
• Must have a certain number of years of litigation / court practice experience — often minimum 5 years (or more, depending on the bank and nature of cases). 
• Must have a good reputation: “undoubted legal acumen” and “unblemished integrity.” If representing a firm, all partners must satisfy the criteria. 
• Should have proper office infrastructure (office premises, staff/assistants, ability to handle documents, communication, internet/phone, etc.) — especially if law-firm / firm-of-advocates. 
• Must agree to the bank’s terms & conditions: fees/charges schedule, confidentiality, not representing adverse parties, not using bank’s name/brand unlawfully, etc. 

Banks may also prefer advocates/firms who are already on the panel of other banks or financial institutions — as a demonstration of prior experience and credibility. 

When & How Banks Invite Applications?

• Many banks open their advocate-empanelment portal only twice a year (commonly 1–15 May and 1–15 November) for fresh/renewal empanelments. 
• Application is typically to be submitted only online (hard copies, email, post or courier may not be accepted). 
• The bank publishes a public notice / advertisement on its website (Media / Announcements / Legal Section) — mentioning which cities/centres they need advocates for, application format, last date, and contact details. 

What the Application/Selection Process Looks Like

1. Download the public notice / application form (or use the bank’s advocate-portal). 
2. Fill in the application with requisite details — personal details, Bar enrolment number, years of practice, area of practice (civil, banking, recovery, property, etc.), office address/infrastructure, prior empanelments (if any), willingness to abide by bank’s terms, etc. 
3. Upload or attach supporting documents — law degree certificate, Bar Council certificate/enrolment, proof of experience (if required), firm details (if applicable), infrastructure proof (office address), possibly references / client lists / previous empanelments. 
4. Submit application within stipulated window, strictly via the bank’s portal; applications via other modes (post, email, courier) are usually not accepted. 
5. Screening by bank’s legal / circle / zonal office — bank officials check eligibility, credentials, infrastructure, past record, sometimes do discreet local checks regarding the reputation, integrity and capability of advocate/firms. 
6. Decision is at the bank’s sole discretion — even after applying, there’s no guarantee of empanelment. Mere submission does not confer any right or claim to be empanelled.
7. Empanelment Duration & Review — often empanelment is for a fixed period (e.g. 2 or 3 years), subject to yearly or periodic performance reviews; banks may renew or drop names accordingly.

What Being a Panel Advocate Entails — Responsibilities & Conditions

• Once empanelled, you may be entrusted with varied legal work: loan-recovery suits (including before tribunals like DRTs), title searches, documentation, drafting/vetting loan papers, civil or criminal suits relevant to banking matters, property-related cases, etc. 
• You must not represent clients whose interests conflict with the bank (i.e. you cannot act against any branch/office of the bank).
• You must accept briefs/assignments as per bank’s fee-structure, and maintain confidentiality and professional ethics. 
• Empanelment does not guarantee that you will get all (or any) cases — allocation depends on the bank’s need, complexity of cases, availability of advocates, and performance history.

Why Banks Empanel External Advocates (Rather than Hiring Lawyers In-house)

• Banks operate through many branches across diverse jurisdictions — panel advocates allow them to outsource litigation/recovery/court work to locally competent lawyers, rather than maintaining a full in-house legal staff everywhere.
• This provides flexibility: banks can engage advocates experienced in local property law, recovery laws, regional nuances, tribunals/courts etc., on as-needed basis.
• Empanelment also helps banks keep a vetted roster: advocates/firms already known for integrity, banking-law expertise, court experience, infrastructure — which ensures quality while limiting risk.

Alerts, Risks & What Applicants Should Know

• Being on a panel does not equate to being an employee — panel advocates are external professionals. Thus, there’s no guarantee of continuous work or retainer fees. 
• Banks reserve the right to empanel or de-panel advocates at their sole discretion, without assigning reasons.
• Mere submission of application does not assure empanelment — many applications could be rejected based on the bank’s assessment of competence, integrity, infrastructure, or lack of need.
• For law-firms, all partners must meet the eligibility criteria (or else the application may be rejected) — so ensure documentation for all. 

Example: Recent Invitation Notice by Bank

For instance, Bank of Baroda recently published an “Invitation of Applications for Empanelment of Advocates/Firms on Bank’s Panel”. The bank stated that its dedicated portal would open for 15 days (from 01/11/2025 to 15/11/2025) for fresh empanelment.
They asked interested practising advocates/firms to apply via the online portal, highlighting that only online submission would be accepted. 

Advice for Prospective Applicants (Especially from Smaller Towns / Cities)

Since you are based in Udaipur (Rajasthan), this can matter:

• Monitor the websites of major banks (PSBs and private banks) regularly, especially around May and November, to catch their “empanelment window.”
• Ensure your documentation is complete: Bar Council enrollment, law degree certificate, proof of practice, office address & infrastructure, prior work/experience (if any), references.
• If you have prior experience with property-law, banking-recovery, litigation, tribunals or local courts — highlight these, especially familiarity with local laws (Rajasthan property laws, revenue laws, tribunals, civil courts).
• Be ready to submit a declaration that you will not take cases adverse to the bank, and that you will abide by the bank’s fees & confidentiality norms.
• Understand that empanelment does not guarantee assignments — work may depend on bank need, case load, and how many panel advocates are active in your region.

Conclusion

Empanelment as a “panel advocate” for a bank offers a structured pathway for legal practitioners to get regular banking-related work and build a relationship with a financial institution. But the process is selective: banks require a combination of legal qualification, relevant experience, integrity, infrastructure, and willingness to abide by their rules.

For lawyers — especially those located outside major metros — it is worthwhile to watch for empanelment notices on bank websites, prepare a complete application, and ensure they meet the criteria. If successful, being on a bank’s panel can open a steady stream of work, particularly in property, recovery, and banking litigation.

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