NBA-SBL to boost law graduates’ employability

Worried about the increasing number of unemployable lawyers graduating from the Nigeria Law School yearly, the Nigeria Bar Association Section on Business Law (NBA-SBL) said it is determined to stem the tide.

Chair of the section, Mr. Olumide Akpata said the 11th edition of its conference slated to commence in June 18 in Lagos will address the issue of “law and the changing face of legal practice”.

Joined by members of the conference organizing committee and other SBL members, Akpata said the meeting would seek to address the global evolution of legal practice, the future of the profession, innovative trends and the impact of disruptive technology on the practice of law.

Akpata said although the numerical strength of graduating law students far outweighs employment quota, the NBA-SBL nonetheless ensures that it affords young lawyers the requisite training needed to be marketable.

“If they diversify and focus on new areas of law such as entertainment and sports, they would be more employable. Everybody wants to be a litigator. They want to wear the wig and gown and rush to the courts, and the courts can’t even take the numbers,” he stated.

He disclosed that the vision of the Section is to collaborate with the Nigeria Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), to set up a ‘centre for commercial law studies’ that will be diploma awarding.

Also speaking at the event, Mrs. Olubunmi Fayokun, a member of the SBL, said that some of its delegates would be sent to the Nigerian Law schools to interface with law students and introduce to them some practical elements of law practice.

She noted that the year’s conference focuses more on young lawyers, adding that a special session is also available for young lawyers to bring bare certain legal discourse, adding that that several trainings and attachment for young lawyers are done in line with the NBA-SBL’s motive at building capacity for young lawyers.

Similarly, a partner with Perchstone and Graeys, Mr. Tolu Aderemi said that the session has strived to reach out to upcoming lawyers from Tertiary institutions up to the Nigerian Law School.

He urged young lawyers to be goal-oriented and endeavour to make themselves marketable.The conference is divided into nine sessions with discussants drawn from reputable firms across the country.

The conference is an international convergence of business lawyers, policy makers, regulators, judges, the business community and academics, which takes place yearly in Nigeria.