Day 1: Inaugural Lecture

DATE: March 4, 2024

MODERATOR: Peace Eseyin

TIME: 6pm

GUEST SPEAKER : Chinyere Okorocha

Biography of the guest speaker

Chinyere Okorocha is a highly distinguished and revered figure in the Nigerian Legal landscape with a peaking career spanning over three years. She is the Chairperson of the Nigerian Bar Association Women Forum (NBAWF) which is an avenue for the empowerment and advocacy of the well-being of female lawyers. She once occupied the position of the Chairperson of the Nigerian Bar Association on the Business Law section specifically the Intellectual Property. She is a legal gladiator whose prowess is known in the world of Intellectual Property as she has been featured in numerous publications such as Who’s who Legal, World Trademark review, Managing Intellectual Property. Her luminescence for the world of Law was accentuated by the recognition of Business Day Newspaper as one of Nigeria’s top 50 influential women in the legal profession, likewise Nigerian Copyright Commission’s nomination for Nigeria’s top 20 most influential women, 2020.

With over 32 years of practical experience, she is a partner at Jackson, Etti & Edu which is a leading law firm in Lagos. She heads the Health and Pharmaceuticals Sector, which she is also a recognized expert in. Her expertise range from Trademark, patent, and design prosecution to Commercial IP advice, portfolio management, media, entertainment law and brand protection.

Overall, she is a force in IP law and a staunch advocate for women in the legal profession in Nigeria.

Social media handles

Instagram: Chi_Okorocha

LinkedIn : Chinyere Okorocha

TOPIC: SKILLS REQUIRED TO BE A SUCCESSFUL LAWYER

To be a successful lawyer isn’t necessarily a walk in the park, neither is it a walk in the dark. There are sacrifices to be made, hours of learning to back up your flawless performance during the day. To be a successful lawyer in this time and age requires certain things which must be done to reach that cadre of success.

GOOD RESULTS:

A good result may not be everything but it is an edge, an advantage. Illustratively put, a good result is a catapult which shoots anyone to the position where something else is required. These good results are gotten through hard work, persistent and consistent reading. These good results tell people a percentage of who you are. With good grades, you’re a shoo-in to being employed in a company. However, being intelligent or being smart is just a nip of the entire bud, what more do you have to offer? Is the question every lawyer who strives or seeks to be successful must ask and answer.

Good grades are very important, this is primary and it is an established principle, however, they are not everything. Almost everyone can cram and recite what they have read but not all will be able to look at it from subjective views, from different angles. Find that angle.

PERSONAL BRANDING:

Concisely put, a person’s personal brand is the truth spoken about them while they are not in a room. A personal brand is built from conscious and unconscious habits which other people take notice of and accrue that to you, hence a personal brand is similar to the character of a person. A person’s character is essential and is the second layer that will be accessed after the good results have provided the opportunity of being interviewed. This is why the university certifies a person in character before learning. A person’s character aids in the notability of the said person. Hence, both a good and bad character helps one to be noticed, but the effects are polar opposite.

To be a successful Lawyer, one must build his character over and above the good results he has acquired. However, one of the greatest task is building one’s character, altering the behaviour which is unacceptable in the society or even retracting oneself from certain habits in order to be better.

How to build character

Confidence:

A person’s confidence is built from belief: belief in yourself and what you do, knowing that you are good enough. These are things can never be overemphasized because they aid in the reorientation of one’s mindset toward their achieving the goals they have set. The more confident you are about your goals and yourself in achieving those goals, the more likely it will be achieved. Confidence isn’t one that can be bought with money, but one that takes some period of mental reorientation. One can be wealthy and still not confident about himself.

Confidence is a stepping stone in building one’s character as it fosters resilience which aids in the actualization of self-belief which is key in developing a sound character. Furthermore, confidence comes from honing and harnessing one’s skill. Each person is endowed with skills other than their profession they find themselves, therefore, having extra skill sets and being good at these skills brings a certain level of confidence needed for character building. 

However, one should not misconstrue finding or honing other skills to the detriment of one's professional skills, in this case the legal profession. Balance your profession with your skill or incorporate the said skill into the profession. Your skill can even be that area of law that your proficient in or extremely good at.

It is inevitable that during the course of your journey to success that distractions will emerge, however, a truly determined person places the goal as paramount over the temporary leisure. Therefore, having one’s eyes on the prize is another level of confidence because such person believes that those temporary are not necessary to foster the achievement of the goals.

Confidence which is essential in building character can also come from having a good result. 

Be authentic:

In a world of copycats, being an innovator will make one stand out. Authenticity comes from finding one’s niche and excelling. Being original comes with less stress as there is no need for pretence. On the contrary, being fraudulent with the workload of lies and the baggage of deceit. It also comes with the phobia of being discovered. It is essential to note that only a person can find his authenticity, that one thing that sets you apart in an arena filled with mirrors (everyone looks the same).

Note:

Law started as a social service, people weren’t paid for the task. At some point, the lawyers began to wear black robes which had small pouches behind these robes where coins would be deposited for the lawyers. It was believed that since lady Justicia was covered with the blindfold that she wouldn’t see what was going on behind the lawyers’ robes. This was when Law became a “business.” The legal sphere is filled with the doctrines of law but not everyone is versed with the knowledge of the business of law. Hence, it is paramount that in order to be successful one needs to attach the knowledge of the business with the application of the doctrine.

Furthermore, humility is an essential character than successful lawyers should acquire. However, being humble should not be used as a pretext for deprivation of what one deserves. Regardless of the fact that one is humble, the said person should understand his worth and know what he deserves to avoid being cheated of his fees. This is an aspect of the business of law. Don’t be afraid to take your fees. Never undervalue yourself in a bid to appear humble.

NETWORKING:

The third skill needed by a person seeking to become a successful lawyer is the skill of Networking. Simply put, it is the skill of connecting with people. The ability to build a good network is determined by the character you have. If a person has a certain alluring demeanour or charm, then others will want to connect with you. 

However, a repulsive character will do the contrary. Networks aid in referrals to other people who are in need of the skill set you have acquired. Through networks, one will be exposed to numerous opportunities. Build and nurture your mutually beneficial relationships. The greatest success are from networks, therefore it is essential to be nice to people.

Q & A SESSION

Q: What motivates you to keep pushing for success despite the obstacles?

A: People who are pushed to success are motivated by various reasons and these reasons serve as fuel whenever they feel low. For me, due to my humble beginnings, one of my motivations to keep going is the money. To earn money and never return to where I was before pushes me to keep going when I meet obstacles. Another motivation is my attitude of not wanting to experience failure. When I meet obstacles not wanting that to be the end of my story, I have to forge ahead and ensure I overcome that obstacle in order for it to be a success story.

Q: Have you experienced a setback in your career and how did you deal with such an obstacle?

A: Yes, I have. However, my setback was self-inflicted but I overcame it by knowing what I was worth and demanding for what I deserved. This is how I overcame it.