Being independent
To this writer, being independent as a young lawyer is being able to make ends meet from your name as a legal practitioner either under the employ of a law firm or self -employed.To Fumen I. Gandu Esq “… Branding for a young lawyer is very necessary because once you are well packaged and branded […]
To this writer, being independent as a young lawyer is being able to make ends meet from your name as a legal practitioner either under the employ of a law firm or self -employed.
To Fumen I. Gandu Esq “… Branding for a young lawyer is very necessary because once you are well packaged and branded your work becomes much easier, let me put it this way, good packaging and branding does 90% of building clientele for a young lawyer” and it is this client base that sustains the independent practice of a young wig.
Koko Olisa Esq, who practices in Lagos Judicial Division asked, “Whether a young lawyer can be said to be independent if he is still under somebody’s beck and call?” Being independent as used in this context is not restricted to establishing a law firm or being your own boss, that would require experience, finance and skills which a young lawyer might not have at the early stages of practice. Being independent as a young lawyer is the ability to carve a niche for yourself even under the employ of another.
For the avoidance of any misconception, making a name is not limited to litigation alone, there are numerous areas of practice that a lawyer can engage in and still turn his name into a brand; it is even easier to create a brand name in novel areas than one that is already overcrowded with several reputable names.
It is true that not all firms allow young lawyers to engage in private practice and it will be difficult for a young wig in such situation to be independent except he wants to set up his own firm, but like we said earlier, making a name is not restricted to litigation. Even
while employed in a firm that doesn’t allow private practice, a young lawyer can still be relevant in the legal society in that small cubicle of yours, like a blog for young lawyers, a local reporting online platform etc.
When a young lawyer limits his practice to litigation {just going to court} you lose sight of other creative and innovative opportunities that one can engage in and this short-sightedness makes it difficult to be independent. I don’t think there is a profession that allows one to engage in anything and almost everything like ‘law’ so why limit yourself?
Being independent is not a destination but a journey; it is one that starts from where you are now till when you establish a firm or partnership, depending on which suits best. It is a mindset that any desirous of climbing the ladder in the legal profession should have;
it is a determination to succeed on your name though with help and experience from others.
Being independent does not mean doing away with the guidance or assistance of others because we learn on the job and learning in the profession cannot end, which begs the question ‘what then does a young wig stand to gain by being independent?’ freedom to do whatever you think is right as the success or failure of your name depends solely on your vision. It gives a sense of accomplishment to the young wig and pushes one to go beyond his limits, when you know that the reputation of your name and client base is dependent on how well you handle a job, you tend to give it your best and all.
Having said that, being independent depends on the goal we set for ourselves, some want to ride on the name of others to succeed while others want to be their own bosses, the choice and route to take is that of the young lawyer to make.
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