A law firm is “an association of lawyers who practice law together, usually sharing clients and profits, in a business traditionally organized as a partnership…” Black’s law dictionary {2nd pocket Edition}
An ideal law firm properly so-called ought to be an enabling environment with supporting staff, fee earners under their employ, and a structural modus operandi. The mandatory supporting staff in a law firm include the accountant, receptionist/secretary with at least one lawyer as the fee earner, making a total of four {4} staff.
Sadly, it is customary in our today’s current legal industry to find duplicity of functions finding its way into law office management as one man appoints himself/herself the Principal partner, Head of Chambers, Accountant, Litigation clerk, then appoint a secretary as the only staff in the office and expect law practice to be tidy and efficient.
These genres of one-man law firms litter every jurisdiction in the country and are responsible for employing majority of the lawyers in the legal industry. When an employee after several years falls out with the principal partner of the law firm, he/she establishes his/her own one-man law firm, and so it continues till this present day. (XYZ & CO)
Fortunately, the advent of technology has transformed the world into a Global Village leading to exchange of ideas/innovation/information between countries in matter of minutes. The coming of Information Communication Technology has created a peculiar need for institutionalized law firms in the country that can survive the presence or absence of a particular lawyer at any time, and still compete favorably with law firms in advanced countries of the world.
Which begs the question, what is a 21st century law firm, its attributes, the challenges and opportunities for a young lawyer in Nigeria?
A 21st century law firm is a partnership with Virtual law, online practice management, cyber security, social media, process of new-client intake, digital services, well-furnished office with physical and e-library, a kitchen, conference room, convenience for staff and visiting clients, and many more. {www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/how_a_21st_century_lawfirm_should_like}.
The millennial generations of lawyers lucky to begin legal practice in the 21st century when virtually everyone can access the internet, and easily operate a smart device, have been provided with an opportunity to modify the current legal structure to fit a contemporary modern-day lawyer.
The managing partner of Eversheds LLP, a multinational corporate law firm once said “this generation has the potential to transform the way in which the legal profession works…” meaning the coming of institutionalized law firms provides young lawyers the opportunity to recreate the future of the legal profession and promote a new face of the profession that would change the impression of the general society about the Nigerian lawyers.
A 21st Century law firm also comes with a structured system in place to check mate the lapses of partners, associates, paralegals, accountants, secretary, receptionist, and the likes. The managing partner {popularly called head of chambers in the ‘one man law firm’} is in charge of overseeing the daily affairs of the law firm on a tenure basis, creating a uniform channel of operation, assigning cases to counsels better skilled on a particular brief, arranging and scheduling the firms diary, calendar, meetings and appointments, the whole idea is to create a seamless healthy competitive atmosphere for all employed in the firm, even a pension scheme can be arranged for employees to assess once employment is terminated
The challenges of a Nigerian lawyer in achieving this feat are inevitable due to the current structure of the country. It is sad that in Nigeria, truth speaking has been laid to rest by lie telling, making it difficult for a lawyer to trust fellow colleagues. It is for this reason that many legal professionals opt for the ‘one-man law firm’ than partnership, what good is there in sleeping with the enemy?
There is also the major challenge of funds, to establish a well-furnished law firm in Nigeria would require a colossal amount of funds to run effectively. The lawyer of today is not finding it financially comfortable under the employ of another, making it difficult for legal professionals desirous of establishing partnerships to break out and follow through with their plans.
In summary, the new generation lawyers ought to practice law as evolved by the advent of technology by building a 21st century law firm to replace the one-man law firm in the industry.
Godspeed!
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