THE JOURNEY OF A YOUNG LAWYER: HOW TO SURVIVE IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION (EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ADAM MUHAMMED NDAKUDU)

The purpose of this interview session is aimed at drawing from wealth of experience and knowledge. Our inspiration is from the words of EUGENE C.BLACKARD:

‘’Never be afraid to ask for direction on how to practice law more effectively. Everyone is afraid to look foolish but the practice of law is a collaborative endeavor. You don’t get to practice law by yourself’’

AND CYNDEE TODGHAM CHERNIAK:

            ‘’Embrace the fact that in your first year of practice that you are still learning. Law school does not teach you everything that you need to know to practice law-far from it’

ABOUT  ADAM MUHAMMED NDAKUDU

THE ASSERTION “OLD AGE OF METHUSELAH HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON’’ HAS ITS VALIDITY IN ADAM. A YOUNG AND PROMISING LAWYER. 

HE GRADUATED WITH FIRST CLASS DEGREE IN LAW FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN AND A SECOND CLASS UPPER DEGREE FROM THE NIGERIAN LAW SCHOOL. IN 2015, ADAM WAS HONOURED AS THE BEST OVERALL STUDENT IN JURISPRUDENCE AND INTERNATIONAL LAW AND, IN 2016, AS THE OVERALL BEST STUDENT IN CIVIL LITIGATION BY THE UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN AND THE COUNCIL OF LEGAL EDUCATION, RESPECTIVELY – THE LATTER SERVING AS A TESTAMENT TO HIS MEMBERSHIP OF THE LAW CLINIC AND HIS SERVICE AS ONE OF TEN GROUP LEADERS OF THE LAGOS CAMPUS OF THE NIGERIAN LAW SCHOOL, RESPECTIVELY. HE HAS PREVIOUSLY WORKED WITH THE LAW OFFICE OF K. K. ELEJA (SAN) & CO. HE IS AN ASSOCIATE AT COUNTRY HILL ATTORNEYS AND SOLICITORS AND BELONGS TO THE FIRM’S ADR & LITIGATION, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND CORPORATE & COMMERCIAL PRACTICE GROUPS. .......

SIR, CAN YOU SHARE WITH US YOUR FAMILY BACKGROUND, AND DOES IT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOUR CHOICE OF LAW?

My name is Adam Muhammed Ndakudu, I'm from a humble family of 8, 2nd born but 1st son of the family, so I have 5 siblings (4 girls and 1 boy). My family background really had nothing to do with my choice of law. In fact, my mum never wanted me to study law. But I am the first lawyer in my family. Both extended and nuclear. I had wanted to study mass communication.

SIR, WHO WAS YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCE WHILE GROWING UP?

While growing up, a lot of people have really impacted in my life but I will give it to my parents.

SIR, WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO STUDY LAW?

What really inspired me to study law was my experience as a litigation clerk in a law firm of AGF Salaudeen & Co. I was posted to his law office for my I.T after the computer training at Bestway Advancement Classes. So after the 3month I.T, I was retained as a litigation clerk/computer operator. Through that, I was exposed to law books, law reports, lawyers and I was going to court with the lawyers. I also met some lawyers. So I started developing interest in the profession and when jamb form came out, I picked Law. I scored well in both my JAMB and Post Jamb results and was offered Law as a course in University of Ilorin in the year 2010.

SIR, CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT ANY EXPERIENCE YOU HAD AS A YOUNG LAWYER?

So far, it has been engaging and challenging. Having to offer legal opinions to clients and do a lot of tasks within a very limited time. Some days, I work on weekends just to meet up with the targeted deadline. My firm has entrusted a lot of matters in my care as well, but with the Grace of God, I have not been doing badly in practice so far.

SIR, WHAT THE MAJOR CHALLENGE YOU HAVE FACED AS A YOUNG LAWYER?

Like a said, where I am is a busy firm and having to do so many things within a very short time can be very challenging. I wish the 24hours can be extended most times.

HOW WAS YOUR FIRST JOB INTERVIEW?

My first job interview was poor, I must confess. I appeared unprepared because I got to open the mail inviting me for the interview very late cos I was offline for a while and I had some emotional imbalances too that time, but had to just attend the interview. It was even in one of the top most law firms in Lagos.  I was told by one of the interviewers that next time, I should prepare well for the interviews. I knew from that point I wouldn’t get the job. But thank God for where I am today.

SIR, WHO IS YOUR MENTOR/ROLE MODEL IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION?

Over time, I have admired so many lawyers but as at today, my Mentor is MR KOLAWOLE KEHINDE ELEJA (SAN). I was in his law firm for internship during my undergraduate days and immediately after law school. I worked with him for few weeks before I moved to Lagos. Mr Eleja is a pious man, a father and a boss. He taught me to be humble cos his humility is second to none. He’s always there for me.

SIR, IN OTHER COUNTRIES THEY ENCOURAGE TUTELAGE AND MENTORSHIP AS A REQUIREMENT FOR EVERY YOUNG LAWYERS, WILL YOU SUPPORT A LEGISLATION MAKING IT COMPULSORY FOR EVERY YOUNG LAWYER TO UNDERGO TUTELAGE

I will support it. It is very important lawyers undergo the tutelage while growing up, especially those who want to do active litigation practice. You cannot underscore or overemphasised the need to be properly brushed up and trained. Law school and universities did not provide the needed skills to just start the practice of law without the tutelage. My problem is just that most senior lawyers take advantage of this need for tutelage to overwork young lawyers and pay peanuts.

I hope this challenge will be addressed when the law eventually comes to effect. But I support the law.

SIR, HOW DO YOU THINK THE TUTELAGE PROGRAM BE ENFORCED AND REALISTIC

This is possible through the instrumentality of the law and it’s enforcement. Because, in Nigeria, it is one thing to have a law, it is another thing to have it enforced. NBA should wake up to responsibility more this time around if they are serious with the need to make it compulsory, then practical efforts should be put in place to enforce it on young lawyers.

WHAT IS THE STATE OF WELFARE OF YOUNG LAWYERS IN NIGERIA?

First, young lawyers are poorly paid and badly treated by some seniors. Admitted, there is seniority at the bar, but not to be used to victimise the juniors and this is the case with lawyers in Nigeria. This has affected a lot of young lawyers and NBA doesn’t seem to see this as a serious challenge. I have been following the affairs of the NBA for a long time now both locally and nationally even as an undergraduate then and the issue of poor welfare of young lawyers is as old as the profession itself and they are not actually doing anything tangible about it. The Election is near and I have read a lot of campaign promises about welfare of lawyers especially the young ones and they’ve seem to see it as a challenge but in a typical Nigerian politics, everything is electoral promises never fulfilled.

This is my fair criticism about NBA and I hope in no distant time, it will be properly attended to.

SIR, THERE IS A PROVERB THAT; ‘’ALL LAWYERS ARE LIARS”. WHAT WILL YOU DO IF YOU AT A DILEMMA TO REPRESENT A CLIENT BUT HAVE TO BEND THE LAW?

First, my religion is against it. Also the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners is against bending the law and as a discipline person, I do not see myself doing that cos my conscience will not let me be. Rather than bend the law, I would drop the brief. So I won’t bend the law simply to please a client. My duty though is to represent the interest of the client, it has to be within the bounds of the law.

SIR, CAN YOU TELL US HOW YOU HAVE BEING SURVIVING IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION?

Surviving has been by the Grace of God, diligence and hard work with prayers.

SIR, CAN YOU SAY THE LEGAL EDUCATION IN THE UNIVERSITY AND LAW SCHOOL ADEQUATELY PREPARED YOU AS A YOUNG LAWYER FOR LEGAL PRACTICE IN REALITY?

I have said it before, they both did not prepare a law student or graduate well for the challenges ahead of practice. The curricula are tailored towards impacting the knowledge and pass the exams. But for me, I was actively involved in moot and mock. I was a student legal practitioner in school and rose to the position of a judge and later the Chief Justice of the Union. I also did internship during the sessional breaks as an undergraduate of University of Ilorin. By these, I was exposed to the practice of law in its real nature and not just by what was taught in school. So I can say that nothing is particularly new to me in practice but I am still learning.

SIR, WITH YOUR LITTLE EXPOSURE, WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS TOP LAW FIRM TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION BEFORE EMPLOYING A YOUNG LAWYER ?

Good results (both law school and university) then smartness and intelligence coupled with ability to deliver. All these are key in getting to top law firms. But connection too is a Nigerian thing. So networking is good too. Who you know is important too.

SIR, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT NIGERIA STILL NEEDS MORE LAWYERS?

Considering the rise in population and the discoveries of new areas of practice, the need to have more lawyers becomes necessary. But not just the number that matters, the quality of professional services rendered is key. 

SIR, DO YOU HAVE ANY PLAN TO START YOUR OWN LAW FIRM? AT WHAT TIME DO YOU PLAN TO DO THIS?

Hmmmmm.....Having and managing a law firm is not an easy task I surely do want to have a law firm of my own but as for the time, I cannot say with exactitude, only God knows but I won’t rush it. I see myself more in class teaching law though.

FINALLY SIR, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE LEGAL PROFESSION CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA?

Hmmm.....Lawyers are ministers in the temple of justice and should do well in supporting the fight against corruption because, the existence of corruption in our society greatly affects our justice system. Lawyers are stake holders in Nigeria and whatever they do directly or indirectly affect the society. We have cases of lawyers concealing proceeds of corruption for their clients, bribing judges, deliberately filing frivolous applications to delay and frustrate  proceedings especially corruption related cases among other things. If lawyers can desist from these things and expose corruption, sanity will be returned back to our society to a very large extent. 

‘’LET THE WORLD STAND AGAINST YOU BUT DON’T LET GOD STAND AGAINST YOU. YOU’LL REACH THE TOP WITHOUT STRESS’’ (TIMELINE 2016)