Nigeria's Legal Profession in the Twenty-First Century Era: Prospects for Young Lawyers

Abstract

Initially, law practice was only open to the elite, who could frequently afford to cover their clients' legal
costs. Times have changed; this is no longer the case in the twenty-first century. The legal profession is
today an all-comers affair, with numerous ordinary people contending for a place in the profession's
hallowed halls to make a living. Some believe that there are already too many legal practitioners in
Nigeria and that the profession is no longer profitable, while others contend that we don't have enough
lawyers and that we need more. The thrust of this article is to examine if the legal profession in Nigeria has
reached saturation, and if not, what opportunities exist for young lawyers. Part of the findings of this study
is that the Nigerian legal market is still large enough to accommodate aspiring young practitioners with
experience in less established areas of law, such as telecom legislation, cybercrime law, alternative
dispute resolution, intellectual property, ICT, and online legal market. The article concludes that new
entrants and law graduates in the twenty-first century have a brighter or better future than ever before
since their strength resides in their understanding of ICT as a practicing tool, which puts them ahead of
older lawyers in the global market.