This writer stumbled upon a picture on the wall of a law firm, Biola Oyebanji & Co, which highlights the different kind of lawyers we have in the legal environment. While it might not be exhaustive of the classes of legal practitioners we have in the industry, it is important to discuss the types already identified, so lawyers can have an idea of the class they belong, and work to improve same or change lane if possible.
‘The charge & bail lawyer’, this type of lawyer needs no introduction, his brief case holds his/her library, the car is an office annex, while the police station is his address, he prides himself in the fact that he knows all the officers in the police station by name, sets out every day with his bib and collar, any reasonable amount to apply for a suspect’s bail is his scale of professional fees, he has no salary.
There is nothing entirely wrong with being a charge and bail lawyer. It is legal practice whether it demeans the image of the profession or not. It is only advisable that a legal practitioner not limit or restrict his/her legal practice and source of professional fees to the police station.
The lawyer insists on being referred to as ‘Barrister’, ‘The Law’, ‘Learned Counsel’, sprinkles a healthy dose of Latin expression in every day conversations, starts out every sentence with ‘as a lawyer…’, his passion for the profession is the respect he gets from being a barrister, the respect he gets as a member of the legal industry is enough income for him.
‘The Ambulance Chaser’, he makes you see the sunny side of your injury or accident. He can turn those crutches for some cool cash. He believes that every pain can be soothed with naira notes. I doubt if the Nigerian legal environment has many of this class of lawyers – medical negligence hardly finds its way to our court rooms for determination, so medical law is not a common area of law.
‘The radical/activist lawyer’, flies towards controversy like a moth to the flame. He is loud and opinionated, he has direct contact with all the pressmen and stringers. He approaches a case like the proverbial hare – first off the blocks but rarely makes it to the finish line, has perfected the act of soap-boxing. He scours the news for any controversy or perceived wrong to champion, and has an opinion on all matters.
‘The trading lawyer’, has brochures and information for the next big thing, he is only a phone call away from someone who knows someone who can do something for you (for a fee, of course); a creative trader who avoids flouting rules concerning active practice and trading. This kind of lawyer dreams and thinks percentage, aims for a cut in every business he brings to the table, and always talks about where the next naira and kobo is going to come from whether in or out of court.
‘The business lawyer’, always turns up in the latest designer suits; has not seen the insides of a court room since his court attachment as a law student; hates to lose any sweat for a case, lacks the patience to wait for years before being paid, multi-billion naira deals get his heart pumping – his passion for practice is profit making at all times.
‘The litigation lawyer’, this is the most common kind of lawyer in the legal industry. This class of lawyers takes a break from appearance when the courts are on vacation, their diary is filled with cases and suits from different courts and different jurisdictions. He always has a court process to file, a written address to prepare, or an authority or principle of law to research on.
It does not matter which kind of lawyer you are, as long as it fits your passion and interest in law. The court room cannot feed all the lawyers, the same with corporate practice. Thus, it is advisable that on being called to the Nigerian Bar Association, a legal practitioner pitches tent where he/she is comfortable earning an income.
Godspeed!
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