Becoming a lawyer in Nigeria is not an easy one. It takes a long and difficult process involving you spending over seven years in school learning the practical and theoretical aspects of the law, not to mention that it is also very expensive. And this is because the benefits and roles of being a lawyer are numerous and diverse.
Where Can Lawyers Work in Nigeria?
There are numerous jobs and positions where one can work with a law degree. In general, the law is one of Nigeria’s most competitive and marketable courses. A law degree opens other career opportunities in different sectors such as the administrative, commercial, and healthcare sectors and even in the tech world.
As a lawyer working in Nigeria, it would be easy for you to enter the world of politics. There are various career options, including starting your law firm, writing legal documents, ADR Practice & Consultancy, Adjudication, legislative draftsman, education sectors, journalism & media, companies, research assistant, law reporting & publishing.
Places Where a Lawer can Work in Nigeria
1. Starting Your Law Firm or Chamber
A majority of the lawyers in Nigeria are into litigation which means they are either looking for a firm to belong to or establishing their firm. As a lawyer in your firm, you get numerous benefits, and you get paid to represent clients in court or draft agreements, and so on.
2. Writing Legal Documents
Whether you choose to go into the advocacy aspect of law or not, you would still be able to draft legal documents such as deeds, wills, agreements, and so on for clients. And these services don’t come cheap!
3. ADR Practice and Consultancy
Do you know that you can work in the oil industry as a lawyer? Most oil companies don’t fancy litigation due to the stress and the time it consumes and instead look for lawyers who are Arbitrators. As an arbitrator or consultant, you can easily work for oil companies, stock companies, banking institutions, and other companies that need an arbitrator.
4. Adjudication
As a lawyer with more than ten years of experience in litigation, you can, in time, become a justice, magistrate, judge, chairman of tribunals, etc. This position comes with a lot of prestige and money.
5. Legislative Draftsman
Do you know that to become a legislative drafter, you have to be a lawyer? A legislative drafter is a lawyer trained in the discipline of mastering the use of words and knowledge to effectively communicate policies and intentions into simple, clear, and intelligible laws.
6. Education
As a lawyer in the academic field, you would be able to impact knowledge into the younger generation by offering mentorship and internship programs, webinars, seminars, training in the skills and ethics needed to survive in the legal world, etc. And the beautiful thing is that you can be a lecturer in any of the universities in Nigeria or even at the Nigerian Law School and manage your law firm, giving you double profit.
7. Journalism and Media
Even though the Nigeria Law grants journalism the freedom of speech and expression, Lawyers are also needed to act as a checker on journalists and to stop them from reporting things that may damage the reputation of another individual, company, or body. Law in the media world also helps avoid copyright and lays down ethical regulations that journalists need to be aware of.
8. Companies
Every company needs a lawyer, be it a paper factory, food company, or even a hotel/restaurant. The role of a lawyer in a company is invaluable.
No company can function for long without a lawyer by its side, from fighting off trademark theft to advising on shares to handling a variety of legal tasks, including corporate taxes, mergers and acquisitions, corporate structure issues, and employment law.
9. Research Assistant, Law Reporting & Law Publishing
Whether as a full-time job or as a part-time job, lawyers are needed in the research, printing, and publishing of law journals. Lawyers are also needed in the printing and compilation of law reports.
10. Governmental Positions
Lawyers can work in government offices, whether as a legislator, senators, or in the Ministry of Justice and other governmental offices in need of lawyers, and they pay pretty well.