My belief has always been that years at the bar does not mean superior knowledge of law. This was due to my early preparedness for this profession right from 400 level that I had been appearing in courts to watch proceedings, jolted some points and after being a law graduate, I did internship in a law firm before the time for law school. During my law school, I had made findings on law practice and I had my three goals: contributing to law practice; taking my benefits I am entitled to in law profession and contributing to my community and Nigeria as a whole. This led to my investment in legal research, legal writings and advocacy; my early exit from one year pupilage and marrying my potentials of mental argument, writing and speaking with my law profession.
It is not gainsaying that majority of young lawyers (ie within 1 year to 7 lawyer at the bar) are not paid reasonable salaries in which I was inclusive and are seen as lawyers of little law knowledge. I am not saying floating a law firm should be based on peanut being paid as salary because you will face higher responsibilities with huge sacrifice practising alone. When you become a principal, you will understand more – if you are not ready, stay under supervision for many years as you can or search for a law firm who will allow private practice for their junior lawyers. Really, floating a law firm as a young lawyer requires inner motivation to succeed, particularly getting clients when you are not to solicit for clients, but can do fair advertising.
Being a young lawyer is not a disadvantage, it requires critical thinking like a senior; work everyday like a senior; have a law library like a senior; increase your legal research; nurture your advocacy; have confidence and know what you want in this law profession. Simply, try to be different and stand out! Years at the bar has nothing to do with brillancy or superior, law knowledge. In believing this, I have pulled out some young lawyers from their principals to start practising on theirs and many of them are performing excellently while adjusting to the economic situation. However, major challenge is joint brief with a senior and the senior does all the talking in court without the junior lawyer’s imput in open court based on NBA’s ethic of seniority at the bar.
As a matter of referrence, within my period as a young lawyer, I offered pro bono services to selected individuals, companies and organisations; handled cases to a point of recommendation from clients, people and judicial officers; contributed to a law profession through legal orientation on media, law lectures in Lagos and Abuja; law column in a newspaper and out of my 6 awards bagged in Lagos, Abuja and Kaduna. 5 of it were during my young lawyer years by NBA classification of young lawyer from 1 to 7 years of being a lawyer. My unhappiness was my failure to publish my first law book and being a Notary Public at seven years at the bar owing to finance, introduction of Administration of Criminal Justice Act in 2015 while the Notary Public was due to procedural delay, human negligence, personal envy and choice. Based on my profile, some judicial officers appreciated my law contribution in legal writings, maximising my potentials for law and building a good profile. My tonic was that being a young law did not mean i had a young brain. You can win your senior, it is not new. Year at the bar is just a matter of number and not superior, legal knowledge. We all have access to law books, law reports and can consult a lawyer who has a wider legal knowledge on specific area of law. To my young lawyers, look beyond salary; build your profiles with your clients and know what you want in this profession so as to make a difference in this profession. Salary should still not be an excuse because you are more than whom you think you are!