Life Bencher, Mrs. Hairat Balogun (SAN) has urged younger lawyers to embrace hard work, integrity and also make themselves ‘amenable.’
Others who spoke in the same vein included the Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), Prof. Ernest Ojukwu (SAN), Chief Executive Officer of Lawbreed, the Publisher of Supreme Court Judgments, Mr. Layi Babatunde (SAN), Oyetola Atoyebi (SAN), Femi Falana (SAN) among others.
They admonished the younger generation of lawyers to be prepared to take the profession to the greatest height, being the last hope of the masses.
They harped on them the need to embrace the spirit of determination in order to succeed in their chosen profession, which they said would require them to be bold and be prepared to add value to themselves and the legal profession.
They all spoke at a webinar titled, “‘Building a successful career in Legal profession: what option?’ organised by the Lawbreed Academy.
Sharing experience with them, Mrs Balogun, who was the first female Attorney-General of Lagos State and first Chairlady, Body of Benchers, emphasised the need for the younger generation of lawyers to embrace integrity.
She advised them to be determined on what they want and to be bold and build confidence.
“You must develop a way of approaching seniors for mentorship as everybody needs to be mentored.
She said: ” You must be mentored. You cannot do it on your own, you must not be proud and make yourself amenable. You must be determined to succeed.
“We have a joint interest in building the profession. We are not going to live forever. It was a question of opportunity.”
Professor Ojukwu (SAN), said what Mr. Layi Babatunde is doing through the Lawbreed is to empower lawyers, to help the young ones mainly for their future.
He gave an insight into the history of foundation of continuous legal education.
“The brain behind the continuous legal education programme in this country is Mama Airat Balogun. She floated an association for free education for lawyers.”
He recounted how the programme helped him.
According to him: “It was an impactful project. One of her programmes gave me an impetus to think , though, I was a young teacher in 1998 when I made the proposal to the Bar, on the need for legal continuous programme.”
The learned professor lamented the absence of counselors in the profession but identified passion as the first key to decision making among others.
“We don’t have single experience about choosing a career and this is one of the greatest challenge in our professional life. This profession is one of the greatest training for those who are joining and it is a training with so many indices.”
He however, regretted the dearth of counselors in the profession saying, “we don’t have teachers, who are interested in people they are training. Most young people came out of the LLB programme and law school programme without having people to talk to them, about their experience in picking a subject.
“When Mama Balogun started legal continuous education programme, they went round the country, organised free education for Nigerian lawyers. People don’t vie into it because of our history but she made impact.
“If NBA can start free career programme that prepare young lawyers to face future challenges, it will fill in the gap in our profession”, he said.
