Maintaining standard

Reputation, simply put, is what somebody is known for; that which a man continually does in his immediate environment is what determines the perspective of the society that watches him. In the legal profession and as a young lawyer working on packaging a name and being independent there are certain standards one must maintain to […]

Reputation, simply put, is what somebody is known for; that which a man continually does in his immediate environment is what determines the perspective of the society that watches him. In the legal profession and as a young lawyer working on packaging a name and being independent there are certain standards one must maintain to be successful on such voyage.
He must be honest, diligent, intelligent, consistent, prim and proper, must not settle for less or belittle himself and the profession out of desperation for brief, must be self- disciplined, respectful, remain focused in other words, “stressed, depressed but well dressed” – Lawyers & fashion by F Basheva.
“Packaging is the fons et origo of every successful venture, practise of law inclusive. Young lawyers must as a matter of necessity establish themselves as indispensable brands, and ensure that these brands are guarded jealously. Lawyers should first and foremost package themselves intellectually by knowing the laws and how best to apply them. This, for the obvious reason that no matter how well-dressed, eloquent and well groomed a lawyer is, he will be more of an empty vessel if his knowledge of the law is limited…”  – Yusuf John Imam Esq
It is not an easy task attaining this feat in the Nigeria legal system due to one known factor or the other, but a young wig who truly wants to be independent will stop the whining and develop his practice and image for a better tomorrow. “You have to make some sacrifices to maintain certain standards”, from this writers view point, depending solely on monthly salary sometimes has the effect of delaying growth in the profession, this is not to mean that senior lawyers should not take care of their juniors but rather, juniors should not base their source of income to only monthly handouts from the firm.
Nigeria is reported to be the most populous black nation in the world, which makes it a leading market for investors in Africa, so why are lawyers not accommodated in this large market? Looking at Nigeria’s population vis-a-vis the number of lawyers in the country will give an impression that there are enough clients to go round for every lawyer.
A young wig need not advertise or solicit for clients as the Rules of Professional Conduct for legal practitioners clearly forbids it, but one can attract clientele by setting goals and maintaining standards different from the norm the society is used to – anyone who stands out from the crowd always gets noticed.
No matter what one does, not everyone would appreciate the effort or believe in your dreams and visions, as such, a young lawyer must not be deterred by criticism but should let it be a guide to achieving what he desires.  He must remain focused and resilient in his bid, he must not allow economic challenges of any sort to kill his ‘ginger’, don’t go and sit under mango tree by the road side with your suits and tie {or bib} and be eating ‘mama put’ because you have no money in the pocket.
There is no iota of doubt that the turf is hard on young lawyers, and we cannot blame the many young wigs who cry of untold hardships suffered in the hands of some law firms, the legal profession expects so much but offers little at early stages of practice, but then again, for how long will we continue to weep?
The time for innovation and creativity in the legal profession is here {digital age}, if a young wig doesn’t feel right on how certain things are done, he can create a market for himself by working on changing them or forming new ways of  how things can be done, you never know who is watching. The most important factor in maintaining standard is consistency, keep doing what you are doing diligently and one day the Almighty shall reward your efforts.
Do send your comment{s} to [email protected] or follow on twitter @bulussdan.