SAN charges young lawyers on wealth creation
The Chief Executive Officer of the authorised publishers of the judgment of Supreme Court, Lawbreed Publication Limited, Mr. Layi Babatunde (SAN) has charged young lawyers to diversify their income post COVID-19 by means of wealth creation.
He also urged the executives of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) led by Mr Olumide Akpata to urgently look into the professional conduct of members.
Babatunde made this known in his remark at the second Lawbreed Academy conversation series, the training arm of Lawbreed Publication Limited themed: “Money Matters and the Lawyers Well-Being.”
The webinar programme was moderated by the CEO, Endniesal Consulting, Abiola O. Laseinde. Other eminent speakers and experts were the GCEO, Emerging Africa Capital Group, Toyin F. Sanni, the Consultant Neuro Psychiatrist, Dr Memunat Yusuf Kadiri and a senior Manager in the Tax and Regulatory Service, KPMG Nigeria, Mr Ajibola Olomola.
According to Babatunde, the entire world is economically challenged and Nigeria is not excluded.
His words: “President Muhammadu Buhari attested to this fact during the 60th independence anniversary broadcast, which indicates that Nigeria, no doubt, has lots of challenges economically and otherwise.
“Today’s webinars present good opportunity for us to learn afresh for those of us that have practiced law for long. By the grace of God, I have practiced for almost 40 years.
“When we came into the profession, nobody taught us about money management or wealth creation. Nobody told us about well-being. We were taught about the rules of our practice and what is expected of us as professionals.
“But over the years, I have discovered that if you don’t get financially intrinsic, and you don’t learn financial management in the pursuit of professionalism and good health, then you run a very great risk.”
He warned lawyers to ensure they navigate their ways through this challenging time, adding, “if you make money and loose your health, it is a bigger trouble. So it is important for us to learn how to balance it.”
Lawbreed Publication Deputy CEO, Mrs. Adejoke Layi-Babatunde said the firm is 20 years. “We are official publishers of judgment of Supreme Court of Nigeria. We do not just publish Supreme Court judgments; we have published some other practice books to assist lawyers in their practice.
“About 10 years ago, we founded Lawbreed Foundation. We were able to reach young lawyers in the law school. We were able to give scholarship to indigent law students.
“So, due to COVID-19, lawyers need to be watered. We need to do something for our customers, to appreciate them and talk about well being and money matters. We couldn’t do that due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So instead of just our customers, we were able to reach so many lawyers. We felt that it is high time we learnt how to take care of our personal finances and our well being,” she stated.
Speaking on the topic; ‘Personal Financial Management for Lawyers in the post COVID-19 period’, Toyin F. Sanni said that crises are actually the universe’s way of challenging the health, strength and the resilience of a country and even the existence of the human race.
COVID-19, he said is bringing an awakening and causing a shift in all aspects of human lives.
Her words: “In so many ways, it is clearly a revolution. It is a war that we are fighting, it is an endurance test, and it is a stress test and a complete paradigm shift experience all rolled into one. So as an individual, only the fittest will survive, as a business, only the fittest will thrive and as a lawyer in terms of your personal finances as well.
“Contrary to what many people thinks, I think the study of the law and being a lawyer provides an excellent background for business investment and finance. I think lawyers should be the best business people and best financial investors.”
According to him, when you bring a lawyer’s mindset into financial transactions, you will begin to see beyond what the average banker would see.
