‘Specialisation Offers Lawyers a Vista of Opportunities’
My name is Oluseye Banjoko. I obtained my Law degree from the Lagos State University in 2007, and was called to the Bar in 2008. Following my call, I spent the mandatory year of NYSC at the Osun State Ministry of Justice, after which I joined the Law firm that was then known as Consolex Legal Practitioners. Following a reorganisation and rebranding, the Firm is now known as CLP Legal.
I am now a Principal Associate at CLP Legal, and I practice primarily in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution department of the Firm. I am also very active in Real Estate and Information Technology transactions.
I am a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), Nigeria Branch, an affiliate member of the Cyber Security Experts Association of Nigeria, an associate member of the American Bar Association, and currently serve as the Legal Adviser of the African Church Arch-Cathedral Bethel, Lagos.
Have you had any challenges in your career as a Lawyer, and if so, what were the main challenges?
Over the course of my years in practice, the ease with which recalcitrant litigants have been able to slow down the wheels of justice through their counsel, has kept me particularly exasperated. I find it very challenging, defending the legal system in which I practice, against a barrage of criticism from foreign and indigenous clients.
What was your worst day as a Lawyer? It breaks my heart, every time I experience the despondency that follows wasted hours spent in court, due to deliberate time wasting ploys of parties who want to subvert the course of justice. The effect on the sanctity of law and the erosion of trust in the system, are painful to watch. Every experience like this leaves me saddened.
What was your most memorable experience as a Lawyer?
In August 2013, the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal, delivered a judgement in a pro bono appeal which the Firm had become involved in, and which I had primary charge of. The judgement discharged and acquitted the Appellant, a 23 year old lady, who had been wrongfully convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by the High Court for manslaughter. She had been incarcerated for about 5 years, and the joy on her face, when I got to the Kirikiri Prison to inform her that evening, is better seen than imagined.
Giving back to society, is a core aspect of our practice at CLP Legal, and this is perhaps the most striking of many memorable events in my law practice for now.
Who has been most influential in your life?
Without being a Lawyer, my mother instilled some of the most important principles under which I practice everyday, in me. From persevering till there’s nothing left of a problem, to facing everyday with zest and an unyielding reliance on God, the life lessons learnt from her, have continued to serve me well and I hope to make her very proud.
Why did you become a Lawyer? Growing up, watching and listening to many Lawyers on television and in person, revealed certain possibilities to me, and I think my young mind eventually got captured by the lure of a career in Law. Even though my father is a Lawyer, for a very long time, growing up, I had other career dreams. However, as I said earlier, the attraction was always there.
The study of Law, offered me the chance to engage reason. The deep thought that goes into solving a problem, and the satisfaction that comes from the resolution, are twin pillars of satisfaction for me. The mental stimulation and constant analyses required to solve everyday’s unique challenges, are priceless, and there’s nothing quite like formulating a legal strategy and seeing it to fruition.
Without a doubt, if I could go back in time, I’d study law again.
What would be your advice to anyone wanting a career in Law?
Firstly, the nature of a legal career, is such that financial reward is not always an immediate given. As such, it’s important to have a passion for the profession, that will sustain those first few years, when satisfaction will come from things other than money. It is important for one’s heart, to be truly convinced that a future lies in law.
I’d suggest that after a few years of general practice, quickly determine a specialty, and narrow your practice area accordingly. Specialisation opens a vista of learning and earning opportunities, previously unimaginable for young Lawyers. The reality is that, times have changed, and the era of the general practitioner, is gently being phased away.
Many young Lawyers quickly get dissatisfied with the sometimes, frustrating court room practice, and may not be cut out for transactional practice. For these, Law offers an interesting array of alternative law based career options, that derive from the transferable skills available to a Lawyer. A few years of practice, will help hone these skills and prepare any Lawyer to tackle these alternatives. You can tell that the overriding advice from me, is that, every Lawyer should take the benefit of a few years of practice at the start of a career in Law.
If you had not become a Lawyer, what career would you have chosen?
If I had not become a Lawyer, I’d probably have chosen a career in medicine. This may come as a surprise, being that these are diametrically opposed careers, but such was the nature of my early education and a yearning in me to help people, which has now found its best expression in a legal career.
Where do you see yourself in ten years? There’s an almost natural progression for an advocate, that sees you aspiring to silk. I am no different, and I hope within the next 10 years, I can make the necessary progression to this dream.