*Says Lawyer Now Cut Corners, Not Interested In Proper Law Practice.
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A Former Attorney General of Lagos State, and the first female to hold the office, Hairat Balogun has lamented that standards in the legal profession are falling and are a far cry from what used to be.
She disclosed this in an interview with Punch where she spoke on a range of issues relating to her experience as a Lawyer and Public Servant.
Balogun, who recently marked the 60th anniversary of her Call to the Lincoln’s Inn Bar in February, 2023, took a swipe at new generation lawyers whom she accused of cutting corners and avoiding hard roles in the profession.
She said, “…I find that the standards have fallen and people are no longer dedicated to the subject matter.
That is, the rule of law and the integrity you need to serve faithfully with the law is missing. People cut corners, they are not interested in proving cases they say I am senior to you, you can’t do that and cut corners, that is a bit depressing, something you hold high and people are now cutting corners.”
According to her, contrary to the trend these days, in her time, lawyers are sincere about the briefs they accept, and when things get complicated, they are transparent and humble enough to seek assistance from senior lawyers.
She also added that these days lawyers do not read old cases or precedents and most times avoid showing up in courts, leading to unnecessary adjournments.
“That is why I said the standard has fallen. In those days, if you have a matter that you think it’s a bit too much for you; you don’t hesitate to talk to a senior lawyer about it. They would put you on the right path. But these days, somebody may just take the case away from you completely. So maybe that’s why people don’t want to consult with other people to enlighten them and many people don’t work as hard as they used to on their cases. They don’t read old cases and precedents. Lawyers don’t go to courts, but they just go for adjournments and the judges do their best.
But if the lawyers don’t come to do their cases, they can’t do it for them. Some lawyers charge according to how many times they go to court instead of making a basic charge and keeping to it. They think it’s more profitable. All those things have influenced the standard.”
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