Making money the parameter

An adage says, an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. This opportunity promises to avail the young lawyers job security, since at least the monthly salary is secure whether they get brief or not. The young lawyers’ practising fees and NBA dues are paid for by the ministry, he can even engage private briefs that […]

An adage says, an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. This opportunity promises to avail the young lawyers job security, since at least the monthly salary is secure whether they get brief or not. The young lawyers’ practising fees and NBA dues are paid for by the ministry, he can even engage private briefs that have no connection with court appearances.
There is no benchmark for performance on the job, just your best; with a satisfactory record one can get appointed as chairman of, say, a rent tribunal. Unlike some young lawyers in certain private law firms, state counsels in the Ministry of Justice participate actively in litigation {some even handle homicide cases}, giving one an opportunity to display both legal and advocacy skills early in the profession. What more can a young lawyer ask for?
Though ‘not all that glitters is gold’, the first 1-7 years of a young lawyer’s practise should not be focused on the money aspect only, though the money is important. Being a lawyer is a calling, one must first discover which area of law the mind is comfortable with and make effort to fit in there, whether it is government job or not.  Most young lawyers jump from one available job offer to another in search of the Promised Land even when the land lies within them. For how long would you continue to jump from one place to another?
Private practise has its own ups and down. Your principal partner may not be supportive or encouraging enough to motivate you as you strive to find your footing in the profession. You wear one black suit till it is about to turn white because your monthly salary is low and eaten up by responsibility. Your shoe is another story entirely.  Those in your immediate environment call you ‘barrister’ every time they see you and yet, though with no money in the pocket. The travails are so enormous that the young lawyer feels like the world is on his shoulders.
‘Growth comes through pain and suffering… no sweat, no sweet!’ There is nothing like a smooth sail through a journey. Private practise is not steady but so also is life.  
Today a young lawyer may have money in his pocket the next day he is broke and with no specific time when the brief would come. It must be pointed out here, that the journey of a thousand miles begins from one step. It is how a young lawyer lays his foundation early in practise that determines how far or near he would go; the type of seed he plants in the first 1-7 years of practise would be what he would harvest throughout his years as a legal practitioner.
The legal profession is a vast pool of knowledge; there is enough space to accommodate every practising lawyer. What one needs to do at the early stage of practise is to find the spot most comfortable, learn the nitty gritty of the trade, have the patience of Job in the Bible and survive.  Being a state counsel is also an area of law which some find comfortable and appealing, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that choice, but do not make the mistake as a young lawyer of making money the parameter to determine whether  you like a specialisation or not.
It is understandable that some of our colleagues are without job and need an opportunity like this to engage the mind and develop, the legal profession requires constant practice that any time spent outside practice is a time well wasted. Young lawyers filled with energy and vibrancy should not be wasting away doing nothing at home, it is my prayer that you get the job and become active again. It is imperative that young lawyers decide which area of law to practise early in the game, whether government job or not, by weighing the pros and cons of every opportunity. What is suitable to one might not be to another.  They both have their disadvantages and advantages, let passion be the decider and not the temporary hardship that one faces as a young lawyer, it is only natural.
There is no reason to work without joy, don’t be a slave to money as the legal profession is not a profession to be practised under bondage of any sort.
Daniel Bulusson writes from Kaduna.