Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has been urged to set minimum pay package for lawyers.
Convener of a symposium in Abuja: The Wig and the Streets, Emmanuel Ayoola, noted that young lawyers were overworked and underpaid, earning as low as N5,000 and N10,000 monthly
Ayoola said the symposium, with the theme: Thriving in the 21st century as a Junior Lawyer, was to engage senior lawyers to improve standards for young lawyers.
‘’This is a conversation that is overdue, the welfare and working conditions of young lawyers are not at the best level, we decided to bring in senior lawyers, junior lawyers and stakeholders to discuss how we can ensure minimum standards for remuneration of lawyers…
‘’Although there are other challenges … some lawyers earn as low as N5,000, N10,000, while some are not even paid at all, we have to do something as a body of lawyers.
‘’The NBA, which is the regulatory body, has a lot to do as well. They should set a minimum standard remuneration for lawyers“.
Keynote speaker, Mazi Afam Osigwe, urged young lawyers to also equip themselves and be on top of their game.
Urging them to humble themselves, Osigwe said value addition was the game changer for young lawyers to thrive in the 21st century…’’
NBA President, Olumide Akpata, said he recognised the importance of young lawyers in the association’s decision making, hence the interest and welfare of junior lawyers should be taken serious.
Akpata, represented by NBA Second Vice president, Clement Chukwuemeka, said the expectations of young lawyers would be implemented.