For participants at the annual lecture series of the Alliance Law Firm, there is no alternative to technology in resolving the myriads of problems confronting individuals, professional associations and nation states, writes JOHN AUSTIN UNACHUKWU.
Can technology significantly boost legal services delivery system? Yes, said experts at the second edition of the Alliance Law Firm annual lecture series which held in Lagos.
The lecture explored the theme: Leveraging technology to develop and rebrand Nigeria.
The firm’s Managing Partner, Uche Val Obi (SAN), described the lecture series as a meeting point for national and global stakeholders to discuss critical themes central to the economic development and industrial growth of Nigeria.
The event also witnessed the formal presentation of the Alliance Law Firm’s ‘Guide to Doing Business in Nigeria’.
Obi noted that the Doing Business in Nigeria’ manual, is a compilation that draws on the firm’s advisory experience as a notable contributor to the International Monetary Fund/World Bank Doing Business publications.
Speaking to The Nation on the sidelines of the event, Prof. Fabian Ajogwu (SAN) noted that technology has “radically transformed almost every sphere of our lives. There is no aspect of human activity that has not gone through rapid changes in the past two decades.
“The legal profession is not left out of these changes. The profession has also metamorphosed as a result of rapid technological changes. What was once impossible is now commonplace and what was once the norm has now been made outdated.”
Benefits of technology to law practice
Ajogwu believes Nigerian lawyers are developing a reputation for being proficient in many areas of law simultaneously.
He noted that aspiring lawyers can grow this reputation to cult hero status as a result of access to electronic case law reports.
He said: “Legal research is now quicker, more thorough and more detailed with many more materials available than ever before as well as links to other relevant documents through the use of hypertext.
“Students can have access to Case laws online and lots of information accessed at the click of a mouse. E-learning is also becoming more popular in Nigeria.
“Thus Nigeria will go from the country that produces diverse lawyers to a country that produces lawyers that possess skills for the 21st century. ”
How lawyers can leverage on technology to improve legal service delivery
The Silk believes lawyers can leverage on technology to improve efficiency and quality legal service delivery.
Ajogwu said: “The practice in the law firm is not left out from giving the country a facelift through technology. Technology has undoubtedly affected and improved law firm efficiency.
Lawyers can now work from home and on the go. They can offer their clients bespoke services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Technology has the potential to affect the practice in many other ways.
Read Also: How technology can boost economy, by Salvo
“The ability to take depositions from witnesses out of state by video call, the ability to conference call lawyers, witnesses and clients in other states by phone or video, the ability to gather and transmit voluminous documents electronically instead of printing, copying, shipping, etc. thereby protecting the environment are all ways technology have changed the law.
E-filing and E-service of processes will also go a long way to raising our national profile.
“ All these things will aid in raising the profile of the Nigerian Dispute Resolution Process, which so dearly needs a facelift.
Not only will these technological advances save Nigerian lawyers time, but they will also save their clients a ton in administrative fees. Lawyers can now store millions of items without the cost of significant storage fees on a server. Some lawyers save rent by running a fully digital service via virtual office.
Drawbacks
But it is not all good news, Ajogwu said. He noted that there is the primary concern of Data Privacy which most organisations and many law firms have struggled with.
Ajogwu said: “Many lawyers are also at risk of redundancy as a result of technology.
Foreign law firms can source all the information they need on Nigeria on the internet, thereby, ensuring their clients need not put a Nigerian firm on retainer; lawyers are also at risk of redundancy as a result of the 4th Industrial Revolution and the rise of Artificial Intelligence which can be programmed to offer bespoke legal services.”
Tecnology can boost legal system’s reputation
Another participant at the event, Mrs. Folashade Alli told The Nation that technology, amongst other things, can boost the Nigerian legal system’s reputation.
She said: “Technology has significantly impacted several industries positively and the legal profession should not be an exception.
Technology can help improve the reputation of the legal profession and Nigeria as a whole by enhancing efficiency.
“One of the major challenges of the judicial process is the abysmal delay faced by litigants in accessing justice. …
“Technology can help mitigate this. Several software have been developed to assist with scheduling, time management and recording of proceedings.”
The event also featured a panel that was chaired by the chairman of MTN Nigeria and former CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Dr. Ernest Ndukwe.
Other panellists included founder and chairman of Zinox Technologies, Sir Leo Stan Ekeh; MD/CEO of Ecobank Patrick Akinwutan; Group Managing Director of Mojec International Holdings Chantelle Abdul; one of Africa’s foremost bloggers, Linda Ikeji; and a former director-general of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) and lately secretary to the government of Adamawa State Engr. Umar Bindir.
Lead speaker, Sir Leo Stan Ekeh, described technology as a leveller that “no individual, corporate entity or nation can truly be described as a member of the global community without a mastery of technology.”
The only way Nigeria can leverage on technology for development and rebrand her image, Ekeh said, was to scale up two things: “human capital” (which he described as ‘central to everything’), and “quality content in everything we put out as a nation.”
For Akinwutan, there is a need for universal financial inclusion among Nigerians (using technology as a key facilitator);
He also emphasised the need for stakeholders particularly the government – to help create an environment that actively supports productivity in all economic sectors; the need to constantly strive to create optimum value (on the grounds that in the global battle for resources, money will always flow to where there is value); and the need for government to subsidise protection of intellectual property (rather than crude oil).
Leave a Reply