- Submit to changes, Bar and Bench advised
- Delta CJ unveils upgrade in State Judiciary
- As Numa SAN unveils legal practice as business
By Pleasure Onohwakpo
As this year’s weeklong edition of Warri Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA’s continues, emphasis has been placed on the need for the legal profession to keep pace with the fast-evolving globalization that is driven by modern technology in every sphere of endeavour, if the objective of effective and speedy dispensation of justice must be achieved.
Speaker after speaker, the emphasis has been on the need for the legal profession to break away from its traditional and conservative background and join the rest of the fast-moving world of digitization and ICT to avoid be eroded by the apparent invasion of Artificial Intelligence, AI and other emerging technologies.
Addressing members of the branch in the ongoing Law Week event which has the theme: “Emerging Trends In Legal Practice And Administration Justice: Challenges And Prospects”, the Hon. Chief Judge of Delta State, Hon. Justice T.O. Diai, noted that the traditional and essential role of lawyers in the society has not changed.
She however noted that what keeps changing is the way the lawyers do their work, which she believes, is evolving alongside today’s global environment that is characterized by technology, adding the lawyers are expected to rise to the unfolding challenges in order to offer the best services to their clients.
The CJ emphasized the tremendous advantage of application of technology for efficient and effective improved and efficient services, just as she highlighted some modern strategic improvements in the State Judiciary system.
“The essential role of lawyers has not changed but the way they do their jobs has evolved as the world we live in and work in has. This is because of the unprecedented rates of economic and technological changes. Lawyers are therefore expected to rise to the challenges in order to give their clients the best services.
“The legal profession is sometimes characterized as being resistant to changes. However, embracing technology in the profession is no longer an alternative if a practitioner wants to stay relevant and up-to-date in the profession.
“ICT is phasing out manual operation in offices and businesses. As a fallout of the Covid 19 era, virtual hearing is gaining universal acceptance in important business transactions and court proceedings all over the world. It is more convenient, efficient and time-saving to file court processes electronically than manually.
“Recording of court proceedings via recording and transcribing system will facilitate the discharge of the duties of the court and enhance the ease of doing court business”, She emphasized.
While delivering the Keynote Address at the event, Prof. (Justice) Alabama Omolaye-Ajilaye, also explored extensively the importance of technology in the transformation of the legal profession to meet up with the fast-evolving globalization and digitization.
In his lecture titled: “Tomorrow’s Legal Profession Today, Today’s Legal Profession Tomorrow”, the erudite professor strongly advised a complete breakaway from the traditional conservatism and resistance to positive changes which the Legal Profession has been notoriously known for.
He said “If we desire tomorrow’s legal profession today or today’s legal profession tomorrow, we must be forward looking. This is especially so because whether we like it or not, the legal profession of today is bound to operate within the terrain of a rapidly changing world.
“The advocacy here is that our conservatism should not make us to resist change. We live in a changing world. As lawyers and Judges, we must constantly adapt and innovate or be prepared to be pushed aside and become irrelevant.”
Speaking on a topic titled “Understanding Law Practice As A Business: Opening New Frontiers”, Michael Jonathan Numa SAN, Managing Partner of M. J Numa & Partners LLP, did justice to the topic on why legal practice must be seen and operated as business that is operating in a competitive market environment.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria noted that the “metamorphosis of the legal practice from a profession that is focused solely on legal expertise to a business entity operating in a competitive market, necessitates a shift of perspectives of lawyers and law firms”.
While advising the building of a structure by way of registering a business law firm, Numa underscored some requirements such as Human resources management, optimizing client service and growth, specialization, value-based billings, client relationship management, amongst others as effective business strategies.
On emerging trend in legal business, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, identified globalization and its effects on legal services, diversification of legal service offerings, preventive legal services, business process outsourcing, incorporation of innovation and technology as some of the business areas open to the legal profession.
The Law Week continues with so much to learn to transform the legal profession to meet up with emerging trends in a competitive world that has become a global village.
