They’ve been etched out by our experiences, challenges, struggles and achievements, we hate stepping over these boundaries. We’ve grown to enjoy the little space of comfort we’ve created for ourselves and rarely venture out beyond.” http://www.bodyhack.com/blog/the-reality-of-being-comfortable.
The way litigation works in the legal profession, once a lawyer is called to the Nigerian Bar he becomes a member of a particular branch where he carries on his practice either under the employ of a law firm or opens his own law office. With time a young lawyer becomes so accustomed to and comfortable with the way practice is done in a particular branch and restricts his learning experience of the law to that branch.
The downside, however, is some young wigs become so comfortable with a particular style of practice in a branch that they don’t utilise the opportunity to appear outside jurisdiction, ignoring the fact that it is paramount to the practice of a young lawyer to have new experiences of how practice and court room operation works differently from what obtains in our comfort zones. The law as it works in one jurisdiction might be different from what obtains in another jurisdiction.
Appearing out of jurisdiction gives a lawyer a different perspective of how the law works in another state with a bid to learning new ways of improving our practice. This writer was in Oyo judicial division and was impressed with the way the court system works over there – from the dress sense of the court clerks, to organisation of the filing system, to models put in place to ensure that court staff give their best to ensure efficient dispensation of justice. Around the court rooms were notices on things one can do to improve the court, these include reporting any refusal to act by an officer of the court, reporting any officer who demands bribe or any lawyer who collects bribe on behalf of a judge, and be conscious of your right.
These notices do not only make the court staff give their best to performing statutory duties but also inform lawyers and litigants alike on the best action to take when a court staff tries to frustrate their job. This is just one instance out of many where appearing out of jurisdiction adds to the legal knowledge and experience of a young lawyer.
It is understood that not many young lawyers get the opportunity to appear out of jurisdiction, but then again, what of those who get the opportunity to visit out of jurisdiction but turn it down because they don’t buy the idea of leaving their comfort zones? By the provision of the Legal Practitioners Act, a lawyer called to the Bar has right of audience in every court in Nigeria; he is not restricted to one particular state. In essence, a young lawyer shouldn’t restrict his knowledge to one particular jurisdiction.
It’s not just about the learning experience alone, appearing outside jurisdiction creates networking opportunities to meet colleagues from the other side, a lawyer can never tell when a connection established outside our comfort zones would pay off.
It also helps in increasing the popularity of young lawyers interested in NBA national politics; maybe an elective or appointment position. Whichever way, one must be popular amongst colleagues within and outside jurisdiction to stand a chance of serving the Bar.
While it is understood that not all young lawyers get the brief necessitating them to leave jurisdiction, but then anyone who is given the opportunity to go out and see how law is practiced in other territories shouldn’t turn it down for the sake of the comfort zone we find ourselves in.
At this early stage, confining practice to a particular territory is not for a healthy all round growth in the profession.
A young wig might say “I don’t really see the point in pushing myself to see what goes on outside”, I say any young wig in this school of thought is wrong about the whole concept of appearance outside jurisdiction. The idea is to witness new things and try to apply them to improve the legal environment one finds oneself.
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