Recently, I finished reading the book: What I Know For Sure by Oprah Winfrey. This book was so insightful on life lessons based on how she has known and interacted with life. Coincidentally, I am at a self-reflective stage in my professional life in terms of where it is going, what has worked for me and the lessons I have learnt. This got me thinking: “What if I wrote an article on things that I know for sure, to guide a young lawyer who is at loggerheads on what action to take regarding certain things.” So here goes what I have realized in my 7 years of professional practice:
1. Negotiating fees becomes easier with time
I often lament that the art of negotiating, particularly fees, should be something taught in university. No one ever prepares you for the uncertainty surrounding how much to bill, the criteria to use and how to justify your fees. The good news is: almost every advocate has experienced this in their life so you are not alone. The bad news is: this is something you will have to figure out on your own, based on the value you bring, your negotiation skills and your bottom-line. So go easy on yourself; just like everything else in this profession, you’ll get the hang of things with time.
2. Use your most valuable assets to set yourself apart
Have you realized how many of us there are? Let me tell you something, we are MANY. As the common TikTok trend goes: “The pressure is getting worser”. The competition is stiff so working ten times harder to showcase our unique expertise is now a necessity, not a strategy. How then do you achieve this? Find what people value most about you, perfect that and amplify it. There are many of us who are skilled and equal to the task. So quit duplicating what is there and work on being uniquely you. After all, there can only be one of you.
3. No matter how good you are, visibility is important
Every advocate has a skill and an area of law that they are exceptional at. When people think of a skill or a realm of law, you are the first person that pops up in their minds. Sadly, the reality of our legal profession is that we are so many that a majority may never get to know you are an expert until you make them aware of that fact. As such, invest on being visible. Find out the medium that works out for you and utilize it to make the world around you know how awesome you are. Goodluck….
4. Your friends, colleagues and classmates are an important part of your social capital
If someone ever told me that my colleagues and classmates would be my most influential career progression engine, perhaps I would have spent most of my time in school networking than in my hostel catching up on the latest songs and movies. Your colleagues and classmates have interacted with you at a personal and professional level. They know your personality, capabilities, weaknesses and areas of expertise. As such, it’s easier for them to put in a good word for you when someone asks for a referral. Most of my work and clients have been referrals from friends, colleagues and classmates. What’s intriguing is that it’s been ages since I interacted with some of them. Word of advice: interact with them, treat them well and never underestimate them. Sometimes they are the link to your next legal brief.
5. Sometimes you are overlooked, denied opportunities and negotiated down simply because you are female
One thing they never prepare you for as a lady, are the glaring inequalities that you will paddle through as you progress in your career. If you are not careful, you might start questioning your capabilities and expertise because of the missed opportunities and the nearly insulting fees propositions. With time we all realize that patriarchy still exists and it will take a lot of unlearning, re-learning and learning before we miss opportunities based on the expertise that we didn’t bring to the table rather than merely being female. Keep trying and breaking those barriers, it’s the one step farther towards unshackling yourself from the chains of gender inequality that still exists.
6. Work-life balance is a myth
Work-life balance is something that is not new to most of you. But for the benefit of those who find this concept novel, it is the division of your time and focus between work and family or leisure activities. Why do I think of it as a myth? There will never be a time where this perfect balance is attained. You will have to prioritize what’s important while the others take a back seat or are moderately acted upon. It’s the humanly thing to do, or else you will kill yourself with the pressure of doing everything at the same time. In prioritizing, be guided by your “why and when”. I can’t decide for you but can only hope you will always choose wisely.
7. Reputation is everything
I am sure most of you have heard this phrase to the point of boredom. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, it is not a cliché. Your reputation will influence your next referral, will tell others of the person you are before they even meet you and it will be the building blocks to your career. Build it meticulously and guide it zealously. If you don’t, your house of cards might come tumbling down, sometimes never to be built back up.
At this point, I can feel the eyeballs rolling and the mind registering disbelief. This paragraph is just to calm you down by reassuring you that your experiences are valid as these are things that I have discovered based on my own personal experiences. Nothing is cast on stone neither is one experience greater than the other. I am just an advocate trying to equip my juniors with pointers I wish I had when I navigated these professional corridors for the first time. That said, as is my custom, I will leave you with a quote:
“By simple mathematics giving is key to the world you seek to live in. If I take, I alone gain. If I give or share then two at least are enriched.”
Rasheed Ogunlaru
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