WE MUST OPEN THE LEGAL SPACE FOR LAWYERS TO THRIVE*

*WE MUST OPEN THE LEGAL SPACE FOR LAWYERS TO THRIVE*

It is a fact that almost 95% of lawyers called to the Nigerian bar are into pure litigation practice in tradituonal areas like labd, contracts and domestic criminal law, thus giving the erroneous impression that there are too many lawyers in Nigeria. How? In a country of about 200 million people?

*We must change this narrative.*

How many lawyers know that they can make good living practising in the following areas:

*Human right advocacy (thanks to the widening of locus standi in Fundamental rights actions), class actions in public interest litigations, International human rights advocacy before the ECOWAS Court in Abuja, International Criminal Court and Tribunals, Consumer Protection Advocacy, Intellectual property. There are still many unchartered areas of practice that we must explore. The harvest is plenty but the workers are few.*

We must start developing the practice of *CLASS ACTIONS* . It is a huge goldmine for lawyers that are ready to invest in it. Let us make the practice of law truly a business.

As the National Welfare Secretary, it is my responsibility to ensure that the NBA takes the lead in this enlightenment and empowerment.

*Kunle Edun*
National Welfare Secretary (candidate).