NBA CONFERENCE: GOV. DIRI TASKS SENIOR LAWYERS ON GROOMING YOUNGER COLLEAGUES

Practicing senior lawyers in Bayelsa State have been charged to groom their junior learned colleagues to enable them to grow and succeed in the legal profession.

Giving the charge at the opening ceremony of a three-day Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Young Lawyers Forum in Yenagoa on Thursday, Governor Douye Diri said it was the only way to ensure the perpetuity of the profession.

Governor Diri, who spoke through his Deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, identified determination and courage as two critical factors young lawyers need to succeed in their careers.

He maintained that although it was always challenging for young lawyers to make it, they must draw inspiration from those who had grown to the peak of their calling through determination and courage.

The Governor urged freshers in the legal profession to be fearless, maintaining that once they are bold, there is nothing that could conquer them.

Governor Diri, who reminded the young lawyers of the technological innovations taking place in society, also encouraged them to take full advantage of the opportunities created by technology and the current realities.

His words: "I want to use this opportunity to speak to the senior lawyers that they must realize that, until you encourage the young lawyers, you would stand alone. And when that happens, the survival of the law profession is threatened.

"All senior legal practitioners must try as much as possible to ensure the younger ones grow. For young lawyers, it is always challenging, but I want to tell you that everyone begins as a young lawyer, including the Chief Judge, the Attorney General, and all the judges seated here.

"What has made them get to where they are today, are two things; and they are courage and determination. Once you are determined, you will get to where you want to get to in the legal profession and life in general."

Declaring the ceremony open, the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Kate Abiri, said the conference was not only beneficial to young lawyers but for the development of the legal profession in general.

Underscoring the importance of using modern-day technology, Justice Abiri noted that the state judiciary was leveraging on it to improve on its services, especially in the area of justice delivery.

According to her, "The world we are in today is fast-moving from the use of analog to the era of technology-driven society and globalization. It is, therefore, necessary that you all key into this emerging trend, in order not to be left behind."

Also speaking, the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Biriyai Dambo (SAN), recalled that his experience as a young lawyer was radically different from that of the present generation, noting that modern-day practice is essentially technologically driven.

Mr. Dambo pointed out that the courts in Bayelsa had departed from the longhand note-taking practice that was common in the past, and urged the young lawyers to embrace the modern advancements in the legal profession.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman of the NBA Young Lawyers Forum in the state, Mr. Clement Famateigha, thanked the state government and resource persons, expressing hope that the conference would enable the participants to catch up with modern trends in the legal industry.

In their separate goodwill messages, the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, the Yenagoa branch, Mr. Ukumbiriowei Saiyou, and his Sagbama counterpart, Mr. George Aderigha, emphasized the need for both senior and young lawyers to adapt to changes generated by modern technology to ensure speedy dispensation of justice.

The theme of the 2021 NBA Young Lawyers Forum conference is "Modern Legal Practice and the Need for Adaptation for Efficient and Effective Productivity in the Legal Industry".

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