Foreign Lawyers are Taking our Jobs: Olumide Akpata Lists Options for Repositioning Legal Practice in Nigeria
Former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Business Law, Mr. Olumide Akpata was recently featured on the cover page of Africa’s Premier Law Journal, “Law Digest,” and was similarly interviewed by the Journal.
In the interview, Akpata, a senior Partner at one of Nigeria’s most successful law firms, Templars, proposed solutions to many issues affecting the legal profession in Nigeria, and advised on relevant steps to be taken to “Reposition the Nigerian Bar for Global Relevance.”
Responding to a question on the progressive nature of the legal profession in Nigeria, Akpata stated that more needed to be done to enhance legal practice in Nigeria.
“I am certain every adult have heard at least a dozen times that Nigeria is the giant of Africa. Now, our profession must also strive to set a high standard of legal services in Sub-Saharan Africa at least. I am not sure that even the most optimistic of us will claim that we, generally, are there yet.
The Nigerian lawyer is punching way below his weight and foreign lawyers are already taking our jobs. What hinders us (and thus we must fix to change the narrative) are many. First, our systems of legal education and continuing professional education are dated and below par respectively.
We must improve on them so that we can improve significantly on capacity. Second, our laws need to be updated and in sync with contemporary realities, just as our caselaw must return to the good old days of deep and robust analysis on the substance of cases. It is painful that on so many points, we still have to resort to finding out what the position in England is to make an informed guess if how those points are likely to be resolved in Nigeria,” he said.
Akpata further emphasized the need to wean Nigerian Courts off the excessive focus on cumbersome procedures that cause agonizing delays. He added that more could also be achieved by putting a realistic cost regime in place.
“Awarding a successful defendant costs of two thousand naira (which is less $1000) after a plainly frivolous lawsuit that lasted for years cannot deter a mischievous claimant. We should really consider following the practice in the UK where a significant portion of actual costs are awarded. If the courts do this consistently for a year, I am certain that frivolous suits and delaying tactics will reduce significantly,” he said.
The full interview can be read in the Law Digest Journal here.
