Sir Shadi Lal and Lala Hargopal

Lala Hargopal the father in law of Shri Nathji became a renowned civil lawyer and the legal adviser of the Punjab National Bank at Lahore. He was most honest and even dared to incur the wrath of Sir Shadi Lal, a judge famous for his temperament and impulsive judgements. The judge happened to be a client at the Punjab National Bank and had asked for a loan. Lala Hargopal had refused the loan on some technicality. When Lala Hargopal appeared before the judge in a court case, Sir Shadi Lal found a moment with him alone, and, referring to the refusal of the loan, said to him:
“Lala Hargopal, you are very technical!”
“So are you, my Lord,” replied Lala Hargopal, who had several cases pending in the judge’s court.
Shri Nathji often related the above episode as told to him by Lala Hargopal. 

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Sir Shadi Lal PC (14 May 1874 – 27 March 1945) was an Indian jurist in British India. He served as the Chief justice of Lahore High Court between 1920 and 1934.

Lal was the first Indian to become a Chief justice of any High Court in India.

Lal was born in Rewari,  Haryana in India in an Agrawal family. His father, Lala Ram Prasad, was a wealthy businessman. Lal was educated at Punjab University Law College and Balliol College, Oxford. He was called to the English bar at Gray's Inn in 1899. Returning to India, he was called to the Lahore bar, and became Principal of the Law College, Lahore, and dean of the law faculty of Punjab University Law College. He was elected to the Punjab Legislative Council by Punjab University in 1909, and was re-elected in 1912 and 1913.

Lal was appointed a judge of the Lahore High Court in 1919, and promoted Chief Justice in 1920, becoming the first Indian to head an Indian High Court. He was knighted in the 1921 New Year Honours.

In 1934, he was appointed to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council and sworn of the Privy Council under the provisions of the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1929, in succession to Sir Dinshah Mulla. He resigned in 1938 and returned to India.