Frills, thrills at the re-union of ‘89 Law graduates

Even without their wigs on and their files at hand, they called one another learned colleagues at the bar. They were the kid lawyers of those years but distinguished professionals at their callings now. They are the 1989 graduates of the Nigeria Law School.For these lawyers, there could not have been a better time to […]

Even without their wigs on and their files at hand, they called one another learned colleagues at the bar. They were the kid lawyers of those years but distinguished professionals at their callings now. They are the 1989 graduates of the Nigeria Law School.
For these lawyers, there could not have been a better time to catch up with the memory of the past. Thus, when a re-union opportunity was eventually presented at the banquet hall of Sheraton Hotel and Towers in Lagos, they could not resist the urge of grabbing it with both hands.
They said their population was more than 2,000 at graduation but since they were called to the bar, 25 years ago, they have not had the opportunity of such massive gathering like they had in Lagos over the weekend.
“Well, this is the first physical interaction we would be having in 25 years. Although we have been interacting through online platforms, this is the first physical gathering we would be having and it is from the gathering that we  are going to decide what needs to be done,” Ade Ipaye, the Attorney General and Commissioner  for Justice , Lagos State who is also a member of 1989 set, said.
Ipaye is one out of the many success stories of the set. Today, the 1989 set has produced seven Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), Professors of Law, judges at Court of Appeal and High Courts, legal advisers in public and private establishments, lecturers in institutions of higher learning, law firm owners, among others.
“Our set has always been a wonderful set and I’m sure you can see the camaraderie going on here. Many people have not had the opportunity of this kind of re-union in the last 25 years and you can imagine how we all feel now getting back to see and relate with one another. Although it was tough at the time, I mean studying to pass the examinations.
However, we thank God that we scaled through and now some of us are legal practitioners managing different firms; some are judges at the High Courts, Appeal Court and the AG of Lagos State is one of us. Some of us are into business law; some are into entertainment law, among others. So for us, it has really been wonderful experiences,” Honour Onyebuchuckwu, managing partner with El-Shaddai Chambers said.
Instructively, the lawyers said to a large extent, the knowledge acquired at the Nigerian Law School has shaped their well being.
“Yes, the knowledge at the law school has been of immense benefit. We are lawyers. This is because I started off with a bit of law practice.
Then I went to university. For nine years I was at University of Lagos (UNILAG). At the tenth year, I joined the service of Lagos State government as Special Assistant on Legal Matters. And I have remained in one capacity or the other since then.  This is because after two years as Special Assistant on Legal matters, I became Senior Special Assistant on Legal Matters. Thereafter, I became Special Adviser on Taxation and from there I became the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State.
“We are lawyers. Even while I was the Special Adviser on Revenue, it was because I was a teacher in revenue law. I can say since I left law school, I have done nothing except law. So, the knowledge gained from the school has had immense impact on my professional practice,” Ipaye said.
Chidi Anya, a managing partner with The Channings Law Firm, Lagos also shared Ipaye’s view. He said more than anything, the knowledge gained at the school has been shaping his day-to-day activities in the profession.
“But we must not forget that learning is continuous. It doesn’t stop. And considering the fact that law is business, since then and now, we have learnt better, how to make money.”
Yet the 1989 law school graduates stand to make more money. And this could be enhanced through networking. Emeka Albert, the man credited with the coordination of the gathering said one of the greatest advantages of forming the group or the platform is to explore networking benefit as well as business relationships. He advised his colleagues to take the initiative seriously as they stand to gain much from it.
“I was at the Calabar conference last year when I witnessed a well organised gathering of Law School 2003 set. I felt this is a challenge to us because if a set that is barely 10 years old can do this, what about us who have left the school more than 24 years ago. I felt we don’t have to gather before talking and we felt we can start from somewhere, using the internet platform,” Albert recounted.
Albert’s dream is already coming to fruition. Though, he said he would rather choose to play a less-significant role after he has succeeded in bringing everyone together,  yet his colleagues will hear none of                                             that. Right on the floor, the motion was moved and adopted; Emeka Albert, is now the interim chairman of the 1989 set of Nigerian Law School graduates. Also, all the seven Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) in the set and the Lagos State Attorney General, Ade Ipaye, are now members of the interim advisory board to the group.