Re-thinking and Re-tooling Legal Practice for the Challenges of Our Time
Conference Theme
We look to the future, and the difference the Section can make. We urge you to be a part of it. Looking to the future, brings us to the theme of this conference, “Re-thinking and Re-tooling Legal Practice for the Challenges of our Time”.
This theme is apt and expedient now more than ever, considering recent ethical issues and changes in substantive law, that keep occurring. There has been an increase in the number of Lawyers being disbarred or suspended, including members of the inner bar. We cannot keep complaining about sharp practices. That status quo has to change, and we need to be a part of that change.
Complaints in delays in securing convictions in white collar crimes; criminal prosecutions; Is there a perception that there is a different standard for the rich? The Bench and the Bar? How is our relationship? Are we managing it well?
We need to be more alive to our responsibilities to the courts, clients and the society at large. We need to be more efficient, in our practice of law. We need to listen more and act more. This is part of the re- tooling process.
Appreciation
Distinguished delegates. We have a very impressive line up of speakers who will address these issues, and we are grateful to them. We are also grateful to His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike for making out time, despite his very busy schedule, to deliver the welcome address. We also thank Her Excellency, Justice Suzette Nyesom Wike. We also have a friend of the NBA family, the Corps Marshall of the FRSC, Dr. Oyeyemi, who we prayed should join us and he graciously accepted, despite his very busy schedule.
We will also wish to acknowledge and welcome the President of the Commonwealth Lawyers’ Association who is here with us, Mr. Krishnan. The CLA will be having its biennial conference in Zambia in April next year. We also look forward to seeing us there.
While I am aware that this is an opening remark, as this is the first time the Section has had an outing in a few years, I seek leave of my Lord, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, to extend the jurisdiction of my opening remarks to allow me express our gratitude to those who have made this conference possible.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Walter S. N. Onnoghen, GCON, The Governor of Rivers State, The State is our Flagship partner; the Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Judicial Division, other Justices of the Court of Appeal, the Chief Judge of Rivers State, the Chief Judges of Anambra State, Bayelsa State and Abia State, the Admin Judge of the Federal High Court, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, A. B. Mahmoud, SAN and his executive; and other Judges from other courts and jurisdictions here present.
Our gratitude goes to past chairpersons of the Section on Legal Practice the indefatigable Mallam Yusuf Ali, SAN, Mr. Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, Mrs. Funke Adekoya, SAN and Mr. D. C. Denwigwe, SAN.
We further express gratitude to our other Partners and Sponsors who are fully acknowledged in our programme, and who have supported us financially and in other ways. In particular, Law Pavilion has given all delegates one year’s free access to their Case Management System Software.
As is the Section’s practice our April, 2018 Section on Legal Practice Journal cited as 4 SLPJ is available. E. C. Ukala, SAN is the Editor-in- Chief, with Mr. Denwigwe, SAN as Editor. It is a journal for the core practitioner, written by practitioners. We had asked members of the Bar to send in articles, and we must say, the response was overwhelming. It is also available. We encourage you to get a copy. We also ask that you send in your articles when we put out a notice to that effect.
Reaching Out to Law Students
The Section feels there is a need to reach out to law students, so that we can as they say, “catch them young”. Towards that end, we will be fashioning ways of partnering with various institutions. For a start, the Section has been in discussion with the Law School, and will partner with the Law School, to assist with training their students in their 6 campuses for their mock trials, which will be coming up in July or thereabouts . We will soon send out notices, and we ask members, who are interested in volunteering their services, to respond, so we can establish a database of Lawyers, who we will call upon at the appropriate time.
The conference promises to be revealing and rewarding, but it is not just serious business. We ask that you join us at 6.00 p.m. at this same venue, for a welcome party. The dress code is casual, so you can relax, enjoy and experience the hospitality of Rivers State.
Thank you very much.
“THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF LAWYERS BEING DISBARRED OR SUSPENDED, INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE INNER BAR. WE CANNOT KEEP COMPLAINING ABOUT SHARP PRACTICES. THAT STATUS QUO HAS TO CHANGE, AND WE NEED TO BE A PART OF THAT CHANGE”