Make your own path
If everything happens as expected, a legal practitioner will graduate from law school with a first class, work in a reputable partnership in the legal profession, own a car, live in a good house, afford the good things of life, etcetera etcetera etcetera.
Unfortunately, things do not always happen as expected. Hence not all lawyers are employed in good law firms that pay N100,000 monthly, not all lawyers can afford a good suit of N,5000, or live in comfortable apartments with financial stability.
Life is what life is, which begs the question, what is expected of a lawyer in the legal profession when things are not always equal? Some have reached out to me, that not all is black and white as we paint them to be in our column, or clear and simple enough to adhere to. Some have tried to package, but they do not get appreciated, some have decided to go the extra mile in their effort in the profession and are still not noticed, others say, But I am a good lawyer, why am I not getting the clients I want.”?
As a result of these uncertainties in the way life plays out in Nigeria, some give up on their dreams and personal goals and settle with the little life has presented them with. Those who are even lucky to get employed in good law firms that pay well, most times get satisfied with the pay and do not bother to pursue personal goals.
What happened to the dreams and expectations of becoming a lawyer - “When I become a lawyer, I want to fight injustice”, “When I become a lawyer, I would delve into human rights to ensure that Nigerians are not cheated of their fundamental human rights.” Beautiful as the dreams were, because things are not always equal, they fizzle out, the hardship and reality of the legal profession chokes them that they do not see the light of day.
Year in year out, the country produces five 5,000 and above lawyers into the system with dreams of changing the legal profession or making an impact. And as the call years increase, these dreams die. Some have blamed principals and senior colleagues of law firms for demanding too much and paying little. Some have argued that majority of the seniors did not encourage the younger ones and others say the legal profession does not provide a platform for the young wig to succeed.
Letting go and giving up on personal pursuit affects the legal profession as a whole. When a lawyer folds his/her arms and is okay with the present situation of things, no significant change will take place in the profession. We must begin to ask the questions that matter and find answers to them.
The seniors say the young ones are not productive enough and are only after wealth, the young ones complain of exploitation and neglect by the seniors, yet no one is doing much to bring a solution to these conundrums.
There are a handful of game changers trying to make impact in the profession or bring about the desired change in the profession, but because they are few, the profession does not feel the impact of their effort. Truth be told, things are not always equal, if a lawyer expects the legal profession to be rosy and cool before embarking on that personal pursuit that may lead to change in the profession, then I am sorry the change we all crave may never come to pass.