Now you are a lawyer and not a student of law. The earlier you make that distinction the easier the travels through the rough road of early post call practice becomes.

You just found out that legal practice isn’t a ball or the Eldorado you read in John Grisham’s novel? Welcome to the world! Nothing is always as it seems or was painted. The practice of law is a totally different picture from what was painted in law classes.

You read, cram, pass exams and make a good grade; the rest is Eldorado? Not so fast brother (and sister, sorry I forgot to add that for the gender sensitive folks). You were only taught and probably examined on the standards and rules of your lecturers but the world sets its own standards and must be played by its own rules.





You must play by the rules of the world to succeed. There lies the difference between those who succeed and those who don’t. Forget your grades! Many first class students become average lawyers and many who were in the bottom of the class lead their mates!

Those who graduate at the bottom of the class come to lead those who graduated top of the class most times in the practice of law. That is the sad reality of legal practice. The reason is that legal practice is a leveller. It’s like an open trip to get to the top of a mountain and your ability to get there depends solely on your determination, patience, innovation, creativity and adaptability.

Your grade might give you an early lead in the journey to the top of that mountain but then the farthest you could go is dependent on your own abilities. Yea! I ain’t mincing words, grades are overrated and do not determine how successful you can be. They are at best your lecturers’ opinion or definition of success. Like I said, the world has its own standards and rules.

Your early post call years is the period of realising that the game has changed and you are playing in a different turf. Many don’t continue in practice and go into other ventures. A lot trudge on but very few get to the top. Others do not go farther from the spot they started. Others hit intermediate destinations.

How do you adapt to and fit into the legal profession despite the challenges which your educational training never prepared you for? The quiet Caterpillar changes to the colourful butterfly; that’s metamorphosis! You too can undergo that transformation so don’t get it twisted or better still don’t quit yet.

You gotta understand the terrain has changed from what you expected or were told to expect. So adapt to fit your new terrain. Against all odds, you can fly like a butterfly and sting like a bee! That’s the way to go buddy! Here are the tips to adapt, transform and survive!

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