,Afe, Awomolo, Olanipekun, Fagbemi, Gadzama, Ikpeazu, Ozekhome, Raji, Falana ,44 lawyers, feature in Kayode Ajulo’s 7 Habits of an efficient lawyer By

, Awomolo, Olanipekun, Fagbemi, Gadzama, Ikpeazu, Ozekhome, Raji, Falana ,44 lawyers, feature in Kayode Ajulo’s 7 Habits of an efficient lawyer By Wale Ojo- Lanre I remember him. Decked in line with the dress code of the successful lawyer, Abraham Kayode Ajulo, Esquire, stood up with patent humility amidst the legal eggheads who had gathered at The Afe Babalola Bar Centre, Akure Branch of the Nigeria Bar Association for the 2023 Annual Lecture Burdened with the task to deliver" The 7 Habits of a Successful Lawyer" to the accomplished learned souls. Understandably, a topic of this nature which has a definitive arrival can only be allocated to an equally someone who must be diligent at law, successful in practice and who has been identified with an enviable behavioural pattern of being fit and proper. Going by the keywords, 7 Habits, Successful and a Lawyer, it will be herculean finding someone with all these attributes among the enviable symbols who have embraced the dignified legal profession. For to be a lawyer is challenging Tu. To be successful is stifling. To possess 7 habits that will propel one to accomplish in a field dominated by first-class brains is arduous. But as a well-cooked homeboy who has been able to leverage his background, educational exposure, professional training and social networking, he was able to commence his lecture not by pontificating on personal achievements but by humbly expressing surprise at why the entire members of the NBA Akure Branch preferred him to be the guest lecturer among those he considered more competent than him. In his tone ' It is however my humble opinion that there are in this venerable body, in this esteemed company, many eminent lawyers and jurists who are much more qualified than my humble self, Kayode Ajulo, to mount this rostrum to do justice to this topic.' This exceptional humility, respect for elders and appreciation of professional forebears dominated the introductory sequence of his papers. Kayode Ajulo diligently extolled the legal icons who have established a tradition of excellence at the Akure NBA Branch. " Let me quickly recognise those great and successful giants of our trade that the Akure Bar has been blessed with; Ifedayo Adedipe, SAN, Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, Olagoke Fakunle, SAN, Niyi Adegbonmire, SAN, Dr Olatunji Abayomi, I.O.A Olorunfemi, Banjo Aiyenakin, and many others whose indulgence I crave to proceed." Kayode Ajulo appealed to the guests not to focus on the fact that he is young but that the emphasis should be the message, not the messenger. He justified that being ' Successful' is a relative term " Success is quite relative. And success is not a destination; it is a journey, a process. What one lawyer considers as success might be radically different from what another considers successful. For example, the idea of success to Eyitayo Jegede, SAN might be when he becomes Governor of Ondo State, while to another lawyer, it might be while attaining the rank of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.'  Relying on this, Ajulo, edited the theme of the lecture slightly ' It is therefore best to talk about an effective lawyer because effectiveness will keep you focused on the characteristics required for utmost and quality productivity. And, to be effective is to be successful in producing a desired or intended result.      Becoming an effective lawyer in the profession may be quite an uphill task. It takes only a person who knows the secrets, qualities and skills required of a lawyer to become effective. The skills a lawyer needs for an ideal career are things he must be deliberate in working on and diligently develop over time. As they say, practice makes perfect, and dedication makes dreams come true.' As a smart lawyer, who comprehends the importance of laying good premises on a logical order before the court, he thus built the 7 habits of an effective lawyer around the personages of some legal icons( both dead and living ) whose professional progression and accomplishments can't be absolved from diligent adherence to the 7 Habits. Starting from those who have gone to the world beyond .FRA Williams, SAN, .Richard Akinjide, SAN, .G.O.K Ajayi, SAN, .Ibrahim Abdulahi, SAN, .Philip Umeadi, SAN, . Okeaya-Inneh, SAN, Ajibola Ige, SAN, .Bankole Aluko, SAN, .Chike Chigbue, SAN, .Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, Miskom Puppet. To the firebrand living legal pundits .Folake Sholanke, SAN, .Afe Babalola, SAN, .Ebun Sofunde, SAN, .Gboyega Awomolo, SAN, Wole Olanipekun, SAN, .J. B. Daudu, SAN, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, .Kanu Agabi, SAN, .Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, .J. K. Gadzama, SAN, .E. C. Ukala, SAN, Yunus Ustaz Usman, SAN, .Adetokunbo Kayode, SAN, .Adeniyi Akintola, SAN, .D. D. Dodo, SAN, .Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, .Wale Babalakin, SAN, .Emeka Ngige, SAN, .K. T. Turaki, SAN, .Chris Uche, SAN, .Ajibola Aribisala, SAN, .P. N. Ikwueto, SAN, .Ifedayo Adedipe, SAN, .Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, .Mike Ozekhome, SAN, . SAM Ologunorisa, SAN, .J. S. Okutepa, SAN, . Dayo Akinlaja, SAN, . Prof Akinseye-George, SAN, . Mahmud Magaji, SAN, . Femi Falana, SAN, . Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN, Dame Priscilla Kuye, . Dr Olatunji Abayomi etc Inarguably, climbing the jurisprudential's Mount Everest platform attained by these law templars is not a teacup affair nor a dream of lazy easy come easy go fellas, but a commitment to strict disciplined behavioural patterns which Kayode Ajulo patently and sequentially laid out in his illuminating paper. GOOD COMMUNICATION; Theo Gold, an author said, "Communication is your ticket to success if you pay attention and learn to do it effectively.” He further added that "communication is one of the major keys to success. When one can communicate their position, their plan or their ideas effectively, one can achieve much more."   I am sure we have all heard the popular saying that “language is the major tool of a lawyer”. There is no gainsaying that an ability to communicate clearly and unambiguously is a must-have skill for every lawyer. And this vital skill can be developed by engaging in public speaking.   A renowned Human Rights Activist and learned Silk is an example of a great orator with the ability to argue convincingly in the courtroom, even when he has a seemingly bad case. Frankly speaking, the way you communicate as a lawyer will go a long way to tell what you are capable of doing.   Additionally, in this era of front-loading processes, lawyers must also be able to write, persuasively and concisely, as they must produce a variety of legal arguments backed by legal documents. To be able to analyse what clients tell them or follow a complex testimony, a lawyer must possess good listening skills.   A lawyer will also have to convey important ideas in a variety of environments and settings, such as private conversations, informal emails, phone calls, conference meetings, etc. This makes communication skills one of the most important habits a lawyer must cultivate if he desires to get to the top of the legal profession.   Therefore, whatever means you have chosen to communicate, as a lawyer who wants to be successful, you must do it effectively.       DILIGENCE AND PERSEVERANCE; “Diligence is the mother of good fortune, and idleness, its opposite, never brought a man to the goal of any of his best wishes.” “He who labours diligently need never despair; for all things are accomplished by diligence and labour.”    Therefore, another non-negotiable quality of an effective lawyer is diligence. Diligence is the combination of hard work and consistency. To become an effective lawyer, you must not lack this quality because it takes time for a young lawyer to be noticed. An Indian Judge said that “the success of a lawyer depends upon himself". And, just as Walter Elliot put it, and as similar to success “Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other."   Even studying to become a lawyer takes a great deal of perseverance and commitment – and that’s before you even start work.   When working on a case, you must be diligent and have the perseverance to complete the quality work, necessary to drive the case to a successful finish. Chief Afe Babalola, SAN, comes to mind when talking about a diligent lawyer who spends enough time on a legal problem until he finds a convincing solution.   This is not a profession for lazy people who wants to win without putting in the required work. Even the Good Book says "Seeth thou a man diligent in his ways,  he shall dine with kings and not mean men"! What more can one add?   ANALYTICAL THINKING Allow me to read the words of an educator, Neil Postman, to you on analytical thinking. He was, though, talking to readers but this cannot be truer for lawyers because it is what an effective lawyer should be.   "To engage the written word means to follow a line of thought, which requires considerable powers of classifying, inference-making and reasoning. It means to uncover lies, confusions, and overgeneralizations, to detect abuses of logic and common sense. It also means weighing ideas, comparing and contrasting assertions, and connecting one generalization to another. To accomplish this, one must achieve a certain distance from the words themselves, which is encouraged by the isolated and impersonal text. That is why a good reader does not cheer an apt sentence or pause to applaud even an inspired paragraph. Analytic thought is too busy for that and too detached."   This is simply to tell you that an effective lawyer cannot be lazy with his mind because the fate of many individuals (life and death, win or loss) depends on his thoughts. To win as a lawyer, your analytical skills must be top-notch.   Reading large amounts of information, absorbing facts and figures, analysing material and distilling it into something manageable is a features of an effective law career. Being able to identify what is relevant out of a mass of information and explain it clearly and concisely is vital.   At times, there will be more than one reasonable conclusion or more than one precedent applicable to resolving a situation. An effective lawyer must therefore have the evaluative skills to choose which is the most suitable. This skill can be honed by taking large documents or long news articles and making bullet points of the most important themes.    CLEAR SENSE OF JUDGEMENT; To become a successful lawyer, the habit of drawing reasonable, logical conclusions or assumptions from limited information is essential. You must also be able to consider these judgments critically so that you can anticipate potential areas of weakness in your argument that must be fortified against.   Similarly, you must be able to spot points of weakness in an opposition’s argument. Decisiveness is also a part of the judgment. There will be a lot of important judgment calls to make and little time for sitting on the fence.    This is the point where the emphasis on analytical skills comes in. It is where you must be able to combine clear, undiluted and deep instinct with relevant knowledge and experience to form opinions and make convincing decisions. You must be able to deploy this at an unconscious level to produce an insight or recognize a pattern that others overlook.   And let me state that what can guide you here is the value you are set to give and the goal you are set to achieve. Once you keep these two in mind, your sense of reasonable judgement will come to life.  RESEARCH ; Two things that I love most about research are captured in the following quotes. “Research is formalized curiosity, it is poking and prying with a purpose,”  says Zora Neale Hurston.  And according to Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, "Research is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought.”   Diligent and efficient researches also play a huge role in a lawyer's day-to-day job. This gives an inkling of whatever situation a lawyer finds himself in and also helps to activate other requirements to deploy when faced with a situation. Research is unavoidably important especially when doing background work on a case, drafting legal documents and advising clients on complicated issues.   In the same vein, being able to research quickly and effectively is essential to understanding your clients, and their needs, and to preparing legal strategies. What differentiates a good lawyer from a bad lawyer is the level of research they put into their work.   PRO-PEOPLE; I don't know if this truth is popular or not, but I know for a fact, through diligent studying, careful observation and detailed experience that you can’t go it alone if you want to establish a fruitful and fulfilling career as a lawyer.   Instead, staying connected to a robust network of your peers and your seniors will help you have an edge in the field. Your network can give you advice, direct you to helpful resources, and even help you land new clients.   Almost anyone you meet can be a possible connection. From your law school classmates to your former clients, every professional you interact with can potentially provide insights, resources, and opportunities that could make a substantial difference in your career.   Law is not an abstract practice. Irrelevant of how well someone does academically, at the end of the day lawyers work with people, on behalf of people, and the decisions that are made affect people's lives. They must be personable, persuasive and able to read others. In doing this, a lawyer in this present time must be conversant with the use of technology, particularly social media as an effective tool for great networking.   CREATIVITY; In one of my research on the importance of being a creative lawyer, I read this statement and I found it appropriate to introduce this last habit I want to share.   "Law isn’t always seen through a creative lens, especially when compared to more artistic sectors. It’s often perceived as rigid, academic, and perhaps a little dry. The law may be built on precedent, but the profession is ripe for change and is ready for an injection of all-important creativity."   Sincerely, many people may think that the legal profession provides a little outlet for an individual's creative talent but this isn't the case. No matter what aspect of the legal profession you choose, you will frequently have to think outside the box to get the job done.   The very top lawyers are not only logical and analytical, but they display a great deal of creativity in problem-solving. The best solution is not always the most obvious and to outmanoeuvre your challenger. It is often necessary to think outside the box.   Creativity is highly sought after by clients, even if it remains somewhat unacknowledged by most within this legal profession.   Who is then being creative if not a lawyer, who can read a sentence and interpret it in many parts to give various logically convincing conclusions?   Effective lawyers understand the importance of flexibility and creativity. Innovation is vital when developing effective solutions, but it also allows you to serve your clients better by discovering cost-effective and efficient processes.  In his conclusion, Ajulo specifically pointed out two other factors which a would-be successful and efficient lawyer should and must acknowledge ' The great scientist, Sir Isaac Newton, said that “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” Again, I implore anyone that aspires to be an effective lawyer to study the lives of great lawyers not only in Akure Bar but across the country. Listen to them. Read their books. And when the knowledge gleaned from studying their lives is combined with the seven habits enumerated above, such a lawyer is on his way to becoming an effective lawyer. He also pointed out what he described as the G- Factor  ' Irrespective of your religion or belief, there should be an acknowledgement of a supreme being that has your back because there are many who have mastered the above-stated habits as part of their daily living for decades but still struggle to call themselves successful. 

Hi Though there is a public acknowledgement of this notion in Islam, Christendom and African Traditional Beliefs, I can bet that it does get to a point that even an atheist, in the corner of his heart, strongly desires to experience the guidance of a dimension that is higher than what he knows when his ability fails. That is nothing but a humble acknowledgement of a higher level-The God factor.'