I was in a meeting with a client and his tech guy, setting up an e pharmacy whilst speaking from in-depth study and review of the regulations of 2026, this tech guy is reading stuff from Google AI overview… I sha did some lecturing at the end of the day 😌
Please don’t use what you briefly saw on Google AI Overview to argue with someone who deeply understands the topic & its nuances.
You will be embarrassed and you will deserve it.
The practice of law =
1. Knowing the law
2. Knowing where to find the law
3 Understanding the principles of law and being able to identify it in real life scenarios
4. Knowing the principles of commencement of action and jurisdiction of court at your fingertips
5. Excellent drafting skills
6. Some client acquisition skills without paying particular attention to the fees charged and what exactly it is costing the firm to carry out their instruction.
7. Satisfied with getting by on a day to day basis. No real long term plan for the office or practice. It’s okay for the firm to exist for the period of your own existence.
The Business of Law =
1. Knowing your numbers
2. Knowing what cases or practice area gives you the highest revenue.
3. Being able crunch your overhead and operating cost so you can take it out of your revenue to see if you are making profit.
4. Measuring your revenue against expenses on a quarterly, half yearly and yearly basis.
5. Knowing how many cases and transactions you need to handle and charge for to be able to break even
6. Being intentional about your client base and your charges because you know your numbers and how much it cost to maintain your office.
7. Being deliberate about client retention and services rendered to client to ensure your costs are covered.
8. Measuring reoccurring work and clients and how much it is bringing into your office.
9. Knowing the race for January 2027 payroll does not start in December 2026 but started January 2026.
10. Making data driven decisions
11. Understanding that you are building not just a practice but a legacy.
Distinguished Colleagues,
For far too many members of this Association, the annual payment of the Bar Practising Fee has been an exercise in institutional obligation without a corresponding experience of institutional value. The question that too many lawyers ask but rarely say aloud is: what, precisely, does my BPF get me?
Under an LOA presidency, that question has twelve specific answers.
One: Free digital stamp and seal for all members on payment of the BPF, with permanent migration to a secure digital imprint stamp that eliminates the logistical failures of the current physical distribution system.
Two: Free access to Law Pavilion, the New Weekly Law Reports, and electronic law reports for all lawyers of zero to ten years at the Bar, removing a significant recurring cost of practice from the members who can least absorb it.
Three: Reactivation of the N1.5 billion single-digit interest rate loan scheme, with improved accessibility, clearer eligibility criteria, and an Islamic finance option for members who require non-interest arrangements.
Four: Increase in the NBA life insurance payout from N2 million to N4 million in the event of death or complete incapacitation, with corresponding upward reviews for terminal illness and partial incapacitation.
Five: Free qualitative training through the NBA-ICLE, with at least seven CPD hours available free to young lawyers every month.
Six: A comprehensive NBA member application, NBA One, modelled on the International Bar Association's member platform, through which every member can interface with the Secretariat and conduct all NBA activities.
Seven: Free NBA Journal for all financial members on payment of the BPF.
Eight: A health insurance scheme open to all members, with twenty members per branch covered at no cost each year and a minimum additional health fund investment of N20 million.
Nine: Free Annual General Conference attendance for members who are seventy years and above, excluding Senior Advocates of Nigeria.
Ten: A twenty per cent reduction in conference fees for young lawyers.
Eleven: A national mentorship scheme for young lawyers, structured across three tracks: one-to-one mentorship pairing, group and speed mentorship, and the Law Firm Mentorship Initiative providing institutional guidance between established firms and start-up practices.
Twelve: Five per cent of the NBA's annual income set aside for career development, scholarships, and sponsorships specifically targeting young lawyers.
Each of these commitments is drawn directly from the published LOA manifesto. Each has a delivery mechanism. Each has a funding basis. None of them are new ideas that appeared only in election season. They are the coherent welfare programme of a candidate who understands what NBA membership should feel like.
Membership in the NBA should not feel like a tax. Under LOA, it will feel like belonging to an institution that is genuinely working for you.
Vote LOA. 18 July 2026.
When a candidate says “WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET” the real test isn’t authenticity, it’s whether they listen and accept accountability. As AGC Chair, Mrs. Badejo hiked fees on young lawyers, showed zero empathy, and openly dismissed their concerns. That’s exactly what we saw.
Recipients of the Law School Preparatory Summit 2026
Brilliant minds. Bold futures.
Congratulations to these outstanding scholars shaping the future of law!