For the good of the firm!

This writer has witnessed young wigs taking the business or activities of a law firm in a casual manner, ‘after all my salary would still come at the end of the month’. These juniors have this lackadaisical attitude in carrying out the firms’ business, forgetting that one day they would become seniors, establish their own […]

This writer has witnessed young wigs taking the business or activities of a law firm in a casual manner, ‘after all my salary would still come at the end of the month’. These juniors have this lackadaisical attitude in carrying out the firms’ business, forgetting that one day they would become seniors, establish their own law firms, and employ juniors to work for them.
Let us not deceive ourselves, the amount of dedication, hard work and commitment a young lawyer puts into the development  of  a law firm he is currently employed in, plays a role in determining the success or not of the young lawyer when he becomes a senior in the not too distant future. If a young wig spends seven (7) years in a firm and only knows how to draft and move a motion, cannot prepare an appellate or respondent brief, conduct a hearing or address the court, how feasible is it that he would do well on his own?
The law firm has provided an avenue for a young lawyer to master the profession, to build his practice, it provides library and exposes one to real life scenarios as they relate to the law.  Truth be told, some of these firms pay little to deserve a young lawyers’ effort of improving it, on another thought, whatever a young lawyer learns at this grooming stage is for his own use and benefit in the not too distant future.
“To be a good leader, you must be a good follower”, a young lawyer needs to contribute to the development of the law firm, he ought to handle cases assigned to him with due diligence like it’s a personal brief; study the case file and research on any possible angle you think suits the situation, relate to clients in a manner you would do to your own clients in the future, give your best and leave the rest for God.
The primary purpose at this stage is to learn and the best way to learn is to ask questions from those who are well conversant, young lawyers should not be scared to ask senior lawyers in chambers about private briefs they handle, and in asking for direction on how best to handle legal issues, be honest in your presentation of facts.
This should not be taken to mean that I support the meagre payment and neglect of the welfare of young lawyers by some law firms. Please don’t get me wrong, all am saying is that at this point in time of practice where it is practically impossible for a young lawyer to own a law firm due to financial implication and inexperience, he should take the law firm he is currently employed as his own. Let your actions at all times be for the good of the firm, and when the time comes, a young lawyer would realise that he has contributed to his own growth.
Assuming but not conceding that a young lawyer is not interested in developing his practice, just using the firm as a safe haven pending an employment with a multinational or other organisation, but then again, what about the referral letter needed to secure the employment? Believe it or not, it is what the law firm recommends that would be taken as the true position, the same applies to young wigs who desire to be senior advocates.
It is important to the practice of a young wig that he gives his best for the good of the firm, it might look like the firm is the one benefitting for now, but in the long run, it is actually the practice of the young wig that is being developed and improved upon.
Wish all our readers a joyful Yuletide.
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