A former Committee Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Business Law, (NBA-SBL), Mr Okey Egbuchu, has underscored the need for senior lawyers to join in nurturing young practitioners, so as to help improve legal practice.
Egbuchu spoke on Friday at an event to mark the official handing over of headship of CLP Legal law firm in Lagos to a new Managing Partner.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that CLP Legal is one of Nigeria’s foremost law firm, established in 1990.
After putting in 22 years of active legal practice, its first Managing Partner, Mr Edo Ukpong, on Friday announced the official handing over of headship of the firm to Egbuchu.
In his acceptance speech and responding to questions on his work mode, Egbuchu discouraged laxity and non-diligence among lawyers, and harped on the need for good mentoring of young lawyers.
“Senior lawyers have a role to play in remodelling and nurturing the younger lawyers, so as to make them become versatile legal practitioners.
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“There must be diligence in the legal profession; we on our part, try to mentor young lawyers even in the art of letter writing,” he said
He stressed the need to mentor young “wigs” and encourage them to be better than they were, adding that lawyers must also adhere to professionalism as a bedrock.
On professionalism, Egbuchu said: “As a lawyer in my firm, you cannot take a commercial motorcycle aka `Okada’ when there are Taxis available.
“It is also not acceptable to come to work without a jacket, or with slippers; this is unethical,” he said
He therefore, urged lawyers to exhibit a positive attitude to their profession, as well as a high level of ethical conduct, adding that it formed the pivot of legal practice.
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Earlier, the outgoing Managing Partner of CLP Legal, expressed delight in having served dutifully over the years, attributing his success to cooperation afforded him by his subordinates
Lending his voice on the encouragement of lawyers, Ukpong urged them to be disposed to learning, as the same disposition had spiced up his legal practice over the years.
According to him, the firm which had come a long way, saw to the reception of lawyers who were always disposed to the art of learning and teamwork.
He said that such cooperation was also a driving force in his legal journey.
CLP Legal which was formed in 1900, has been in practice since 1992. (NAN)
