Taking responsibility – Daniel Bulusson, Esq

At the ordinary general meeting of the NBA Kaduna Branch, young lawyers were encouraged to take responsibility in supporting and contributing to the activities and programmes of the branch. Young legal practitioners ought not stand on the sidelines and watch the seniors provide financially for every project in the branch. I stand to be corrected, […]

At the ordinary general meeting of the NBA Kaduna Branch, young lawyers were encouraged to take responsibility in supporting and contributing to the activities and programmes of the branch.

Young legal practitioners ought not stand on the sidelines and watch the seniors provide financially for every project in the branch. I stand to be corrected, it is my belief that the same applies in most branches across the nation, the seniors are the ones who shoulder majority of the branch financial needs aside from branch dues.

It is indeed a good thing that all hands are on deck to improve the legal industry, just like the ant colony. According to dkfindout.com, ants are social insects, which means they live in a group, or colony. Ant colonies are highly organised, usually ruled by a single queen, and each ant has specific jobs to do – worker ants build and repair the nest, forage for food, and keep the nest clean; the soldier ants defend the colony by biting, stinging or spraying acid at attackers. In essence, to have an organised and improved association, every member, both old and young, has to play his/her role to aid the growth of the association.

It is also true, that the young wig if empowered and blessed with the right resources, he/she would financially support the association in any little way they can. Unfortunately, in the Nigerian legal environment we find ourselves, a young wig depends solely on the principal partner of the law firm for his/her survival in life and practice, and so restricted only to the opportunities provided by such law firm. Sadly too, if a young wig after a number of years under pupilage decides to be independent and establishes his/her own firm, the legal environment does not provide the enabling atmosphere for him/her to attain optimum capacity.

Which begs the question, how does a young legal practitioner take responsibility? A legal practitioner earns N20, 000 (twenty thousand Naira only).  From that monthly stipend, he/she will pay practicing fee, branch dues, stamp and seal, pay for Annual General Conference aside from the basic life needs of the legal practitioner. In such environment, even if the spirit is willing to give financial support, the flesh is weak due to the stress it passes through on a daily basis being in the Nigerian legal industry.

In my humble opinion, taking responsibility is a two-way traffic, the senior colleague has a role to play, likewise the junior colleague has a role to play. The Nigerian Bar Association in partnership with the Council of Legal Education needs to find a way to inculcate entrepreneurial spirit in law students before being called to the Nigerian Bar Association, this will go a long way in curbing dependence on senior colleagues for every legal practice need.

The system and environment ought to encourage a legal practitioner to understand and venture into the business side of the legal profession: he/she must understand the concept of selling his/her services to customers in need of legal service. It is not enough to sit down at the confines of the law office one is employed in, and restrict your source of income to monthly salary. The legal profession has offered a lawyer managerial and secretarial training which is key to the success of any business in the country.

We all need to take responsibility in shaping the future of the legal profession, we ought to collectively work to restore public confidence in the judiciary and legal system, it is a collective duty of both old and young to ensure that the public is sensitised on the need of a legal practitioner in the daily interactions of man.

Lawyers are looked down upon in the society because of the image portrayed by Nigerian movies, and the shabby outlook of majority of legal practitioners that societies find walking the streets. To change the outlook of the legal industry, and for young ones to effortlessly start contributing to the growth of the   NBA,   there   should   be   a   legal   atmosphere   that encourages a  legal practitioner to earn income through selling his/her services.  

Godspeed!

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