Dress code is essential for looking professional while appearing before judicial bodies and tribunal.

In professional life it is important to look presentable because personal appearance counts. How you look can be a major factor in how you are perceived by others. How you look, talk, act and work determines whether you are a professional or an amateur. The way you dress, speaks volumes about who you are as a person and as a professional. A dress code is a set of rules governing a certain combination of clothing. Apart from the legal profession, professional dress code standards are established in major business organizations and these have become more relaxed in recent decades. Dress codes vary greatly from company to company, as different working environments demand different styles of attire. Even within companies, dress codes can vary among positions. To enhance the visibility and brand building of the profession and ensuring uniformity, the Council of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India has prescribed the following guidelines for professional dress for members while appearing before judicial/quasi-judicial bodies and tribunals: The professional dress for male members will be Navy Blue suit and white shirt with a tie (preferably of the ICSI) or navy blue buttoned-up coat over a pant or a navy blue safari suit. The professional dress for female members will be saree or any other dress of a sober colour with a navy blue jacket. Members in employment may wear the dress/uniform as specified by the employer for all employees or if allowed the aforesaid professional dress. Practising Company Secretaries appearing before any tribunal or quasi-judicial body should adhere to dress code if any prescribed for appearing before such tribunal or quasi-judicial body or if allowed the aforesaid professional dress. It may be pointed out that any person whether a lawyer, pleader or authorized representative representing a litigant before any Court of law or a Tribunal or any other authority discharging the functions of a Court/a quasi judicial authority, should comport himself in a manner befitting his status as an officer of the Court, a privileged member of the community and a gentleman.