Package yourself
“If you want to change the world, first change yourself and the world around you will change,” says Mahatma Gandhi.
Many come into the legal profession seeking first, riches and luxury; they direct their strength and focus their attention in making the next available penny. Unfortunately, this trend could be at the expense of their name or reputation in the profession. If you ask me, the profession is our daily bread, and so, must pay. However, the better packaged a legal practitioner is, the better the pay is.
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/her. In the legal profession, and as a legal practitioner working on packaging, there are certain standards one must maintain to be successful on such a voyage.
A lawyer ought to be honest, diligent, intelligent, consistent, prim and proper; must not settle for less or belittle himself/herself and the profession out of desperation for a brief, must be self-disciplined, respectful, remain focused. In other words, “stressed, depressed but well dressed.” A legal practitioner must daily give an outlook that ‘all is well’ even when it is not. The society ought not to see the plight and stress of a lawyer through his/her appearance. A lawyer has little funds and wants more. You have to look the part to be given more.
The legal turf is tough, meant for the brave, courageous and daring legal practitioners.
A lawyer ought not to allow economic recession reflect on his/her modus operandi as a gentleman. He/she must remain focused and resilient, not allowing economic challenges of any sort kill his/her ‘ginger’. Don’t go and sit under a mango tree by the roadside with your suit and tie (or bib) and be eating ‘mama put’ because there is no money in the pocket.
From packaging comes better service delivery, which leads to client satisfaction and possibly to referrals. Change is not an enemy; the new generation lawyers ought to create a unique and seamless way of practicing law different from the ways of the past: ‘Out with the old, in with the new’.
“Packaging is the fons et origo of every successful venture: practice of law inclusive. 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 is 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…” says Yusuf John Imam Esq.
It is true that some lawyers do package very well and yet are not quite conversant with the law intellectually. But then there is no loss in those conversant with the law to better package their service delivery. In my humble opinion, when majority of legal practitioners package (or better still, repackage) service delivery, public confidence in the legal profession would be boosted thereby improving our standing with our counterparts in advanced legal environments.
Let lie not be told, packaging comes at a cost. Looking neat, crisp and smart comes with a price not everyone can afford. The beauty is we can start the packaging according to the size of our pocket. If it is one black shoe, keep it shiny, if it is one white shirt, keep it white. It is how well you treat the little you have that will determine how you will handle more. Simply put, if you cannot keep one white shirt clean, it is impossible to keep 10 T.M. Lewin white shirts clean.
The time for innovation and creativity in the legal profession is now (digital age). If a legal practitioner doesn’t feel right on how certain things are done, he/ she can create a market by working on changing them or forming new ways of how things can be done. With selfconfidence and consistency you will definitely get to the finish line. Keep doing what you are doing diligently and one day the Almighty shall reward your efforts. God speed! Do send your comment(s), observation(s) and recommendation(s) to danielbulusson@gmail.com or like us on www.facebook. com/younglawyerscolumn