If ICT was in vogue

The world as we know it, is on standby due to the outbreak of the pandemic called coronavirus, or COVID-19. Many Nigerians have been placed on quarantine by the partial lockdown of the country, hindering them from going about the normal day to day hustle as we know it. This lockdown is not without its […]

The world as we know it, is on standby due to the outbreak of the pandemic called coronavirus, or COVID-19. Many Nigerians have been placed on quarantine by the partial lockdown of the country, hindering them from going about the normal day to day hustle as we know it. This lockdown is not without its effect in the legal profession. On the 23rd of March, 2020, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, and Chairman of the National Judicial Council had directed the suspension of court sittings for a period of two weeks at the first instance, except in matters that are urgent, essential or time bound, according to our extant laws.

This means there is no court sitting for an initial period of two weeks. But this does not necessarily mean that things can’t go on if Information and Communications Technology was in vogue in the legal profession. Take for instance, if parties through their counsel could file applications, counter-affidavits and similar court processes electronically, this means that even though courts are not sitting but date can be fixed, filings can go on and hearing notices can be served without physical interaction from one human being to another.

The same applies to law firms in the industry. If majority of the affairs of the law firms are carried out using ICT, then the law firm would not necessarily be shut down as is the case during the lockdown, but the affairs of the firm will be run from home. During this lockdown, I asked a colleague what she actually does at the office that she can’t do at home presently, and her reply was, “The environment, home is a place of rest, while I get motivated at the office. Law reports are in the office, light is constant at the office, and the idea of going out”.

If you ask me, there is practically nothing you do at the office that can’t be done at home. There exist electronic law reports which most law firms are subscribed to. Office meetings can be conducted electronically, emails can be sent from one staff to the other, and the like. We are already conscripted to think we can only work from an office environment so called, which is why many law firms are shutdown as there is no going out from home.

If ICT was in vogue, we would have virtual law firms running alongside our physical analogue law firms. According to Wikipedia, a virtual law firm is a legal practice that does not have a bricks-and-mortar office, but operates from the homes or satellite offices of its lawyers, usually delivering services to clients at a distance using technological means of communication.

In simple terms, different lawyers can have a contact point from which they provide legal service to clients either from home, or wherever distance must have placed them. Simply put, lawyers using technological advancement to service clients’ needs without having an office space. But then, due to the traditional practice of law in Nigeria, and the fact that we are yet to transform all activities to digital, our genre of virtual law firm would be having an office address with a computer literate person as a secretary to operate the affairs of the firm and provide a contact place to effectively serve clients.

This way, the secretary will be responsible for receiving and dispatching correspondence, schedule appointments for partners (Lawyers in chamber), setting cause list for matters in court, sending reminders to partners through the office email, that way, everyone can be engaged elsewhere and still be fully aware of the activities of the firm.

There is little one can do at home at the moment during this quarantine to keep mind mentally engaged. Kudos to the various NBA forums organising webinars for legal professionals, but then, if ICT was in vogue in the legal industry, we would have been going about our normal affairs without any physical interaction.

It is my hope that we use the standstill as an opportunity to explore working from home, even after the coronavirus pandemic is over, all we need do is to infuse ICT fully into our affairs as legal professionals.

Stay Home, and Save a life.

#Letsbesafe

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