Many lawyers in Nigeria are poorly positioned to take advantage of business opportunities because potential clients do not always know what services they offer. 

This is the view of Busola Ajala, the director of Studies at the Strictly Law Business Academy and the convener of the Business of Law Conference 2020 which took place at the Muson Centre, Onikan in Lagos on January 28.

“We are not well equipped by university and then Law School to deal with the reality of law practice, so it is a bit of a shock when lawyers enter into the Nigerian legal marketplace, only to realize that they lack the requisite business skills that will help them win and retain clients and develop their books of business,” she said.

That was the motivation for hosting The Business of Law Conference 2.0, a CSR initiative from Strictly Law Business Academy, Nigeria’s premier business academy for lawyers and practice managers. The conference was a “second edition” —the first was held in 2019. This week’s event focussed on the theme “Visibility: Positioning lawyers and the legal industry for more business opportunities”. 

Delegates contributed to four sessions:

1. Visibility: A catalyst for business opportunities (for lawyers);
2. Visibility & Networking: Engaging for more (for business executives);
3. Visibility as a tool for law firm market viability (law firm segment);
4. Blazing the trail, gaining prominence (thriving and up and coming lawyers).

Panelists represented every part of the legal community and included senior advocates like Dr Babatunde Ajibade SAN, andMr Olasupo Shasore SAN and corporate commercial practitioners like Mr Kunle Obebe and Mrs Adewunmi Alode, an in-house lawyer. 

Law firms were also co-opted into this year’s conference with the introduction of the law firm session. 

Panelists included: Mrs Ozofu Ogiemudia, a partner at Udo-Udoma & Belo-Osagie; Michael Orimobi, managing partner Tokunbo Orimobi Legal Group; Chinyere Okorocha, partner and head of sectors at Jackson, Etti & Edu; and Chike Obianwu, partner and Chief Operating Officer at Templars. 

Some of the conference’s moderators were Funbi Matthew, practice development manager for Bloomfield Law Practice in Lagos and Joy Harrison-Abiola, practice administrator at ACAS-Law.

Because of Strictly Law Business’s vision to contribute to the growth of the Nigerian law practice community, attendance at the conference was free. 

Strictly Law Business Academy is a premier business training academy for lawyers aimed at equipping lawyers with business and management skills for the successful administration of law firms. The academy’s courses are designed to help lawyers with law business management, law practice monetization and general business management. To find out more visit: Strictly Law Business Academy – Academy for Law Businesses 

For further information and enquiries about the upcoming conference email: info@strictlylawbiz.com