My new wig experience in court

To a layman, a lawyer is one who goes to court to represent his client. Some Nigerians even mockingly address lawyers as CHARGE and BAIL, because to them the legal profession has lost her nobility, yet for the bar aspirants, becoming a legal practitioner still remains one of the most beautiful things in life.

If you ask me, one of the easiest ways to spot a new wig in court is the way they announce appearance. Some new wigs have mastered the art of announcing appearance and moving motions, while others can neither announce appearance nor move motions. May the heavens smile on the few judges who are always willing to assist the new wigs whilst moving motion despite the fact that it eats into the time of the court. Some new wigs come to court with already prepared speech jotted down in their diaries ranging from how to announce appearance, move motion and even how to thank the judge after his/her case has been decided.

For some new wigs who never get the chance to appear alone just yet, hang on dear, you will surely get a chance and I bet you will definitely have a story to tell on your first day for announcing appearance comes with a lot of mixed feelings, especially when you are up against a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) or a very senior lawyer who has built his court confidence over the years.

Three months after I was called to the Nigerian Bar Association, I got the privilege of serving in Kaduna (Kaduna City) and was posted to a law firm. I followed my boss to court every day and all I did was bow to my lord and take down dates; it took a lot of time for me to learn to file processes in court. One beautiful Tuesday morning, my boss sent me to the Kaduna State High Court for a matter. He had confidence in me that I would deliver. The night before Monday, I couldn’t sleep, I kept practicing my speech, I remember ironing my collaret a couple of times that night in a bid to abort my anxiety but to no avail.

Tuesday morning, I set out to JUSTICE ESTHER LOLO’S court room, I arrived early enough; went through the court’s list and found out that my case was number 1 but I wasn’t worried as I believed the seniors would invoke the “SENIORITY AT THE BAR CARD’.

Court session resumed few minutes after 9am. All was going smooth and gently as I watched lawyers take turns to argue and make brilliant submissions. The legal profession is blessed with ORATORS.

My case was called up and I stood up to announce appearance thus;

ME: “Respectfully my lord”, my name is NWAFOR-ORIZU B.N. Esq.

JUSTICE

Please

ME: Ok “NW

JUSTICE LOLO: NW

ME: Yea, (the court room went agog, poor me, I wondered why suddenly there was so much noise) the lawyer sitting next to me whispered to me that It’s rude to respond YEA to a judge that I should rather respond with MY LORD (which is the language of the court).

I quickly corrected myself but went back to the same YEA responses whilst she’s still trying to put down my name. She dropped her pen looked at me and said:

JUSTICE LOLO: Do I look like one of your friends who you chitchat with?

ME: YEA (There was laughter at the court room as the judge got offended)

JUSTICE LOLO: (she then noticed my dressing and signals on one of the court clerks to come and help me adjust my collaret) “When next you are appearing before me, make sure you dress properly and learn to address the court, from your appearance and composure, it appears you are a new wig, I will pardon you today.

ME: (was about to say ‘yea’ when I caught myself) YES, MY LORD.

JUSTICE LOLO: (she smiled softly and begged we proceed). Let’s proceed.

As a new wig my first challenge was mastering the language of the court and I know a lot of new wigs have the same experience or even worse than mine. Thanks JUSTICE ESTHER LOLO, I guess the new wig card bailed me out.

A new wig has to understand that it’s not going to be easy differentiating what was taught in law school, from actual experiences of practice, but then, just as the seniors in the profession we adore, with time, practice and consistency, we will overcome the challenges of being a new wig.

Surely the legal profession could be likened to tales by moonlight (we never run out of stories), for a lawyer every day is an experience. Learn from your beginner’s story rather than being worn down by it, only few get it right on their first day. Godspeed!

Written by Nnenna Blossom Nwafor-Orizu Esq. LOLO: Spell