Junior Lawyers have continued to be bashed, embarrassed and disgraced in Courts by Judges and Magistrates owing to the gullibility of some juniors who rushed to Court to hold the briefs of seniors. The embarrassment does not emanate from holding of the brief but from the improper holding of the brief. As in almost all the cases I've witnessed or seen, these juniors accepts to hold the briefs but failed and neglected to ask any question or relevant questions in respect of the case. Most times, they appear in Court like window shoppers, without any idea about the case before the Court nor are they with the case file or any processes of the case. Haba!
The picture most times appears in this manner, where the learned senior calls up the learned junior and simply say " oga lawyer, how u dey? Please i need you to hold my brief in so and so case coming up in so so court. Inform my lord, I'm not disposed. Just pick a date to enable the substantive Counsel effectively prosecute the matter, please text me your account number or take this for your lunch". Junior Counsel quietly responds, "Okay sir". Junior Counsel heads to the Courtroom with his wig and gown, announces appearance with the hope of seeking for a date only to be confronted by a situation which is always the case, is unable to answer but to shabbily inform the Court that he is not abreast with the facts of the case because he is only holding the brief of the senior. God bless Judges who have continued to berate Juniors over improper holding of briefs.
You can't as a Counsel go to the Courtroom without having an idea about a matter to which you appear in Court, or with no processes of the case or the case file on you. If the purpose of the junior is to go to Court to pick up a date then he's no better than the litigant who can as well inform the Court and get a date. Some tough Judges will insist, the case must go on whether or not the substantive Counsel is in Court as long as the Litigant has been represented.
Are Junior Lawyers alone to be blamed? No! The seniors themselves shares in the embarrassment and this reflects the quality of practice we have. Juniors, ask questions whether or not you have access to the case file and if you do, study it even while in the Courtroom. Learned Seniors you can do better, lecture juniors on the facts of the case from its inception to the present status.
We must improve the quality of our practice if we must go far and earn the respect that we deserve.
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