Lawyers generally have a moral responsibility in representing clients and in choosing the methods by which the interests of their clients can best be preserved. Beyond this, there is an overriding moral premise that lawyers, having greatly benefited from the gift of a legal education and having been well equipped with useful skills, have an obligation to help the less fortunate in society.

This is the community foundation of legal ethics that requires a lawyer to be more than an officer of the court or guardian of the law, but also to possess the virtue of good character. A character through which he or she personally influences and positively affects people. The moment a lawyer with integrity realizes how privileged he is to have been favorably placed in society, he is driven to do good. This is not to minimize the efforts that each attorney made to become who they are, but without the good fortune of being in a community where a lifelong gift of knowledge and discernment can be imparted, those efforts might not have yielded the expected results. . Why then shouldn’t we give back to that community that made it possible for us to be who we are today?

There is no question that we lawyers have had to experience widespread opprobrium over the years, as our profession and practice often make us look like the enemy. The image of lawyers is a topic of great debate, and more often than not, lawyers are subject to criticism, both fair and unfair. Criticisms of the legal profession often quote Shakespeare’s line: “The first thing we do is kill all lawyers.” It is understandable that there can always be a negative image of lawyers, given that lawyers will continue to play a role in an adversarial system that produces winners and losers. The effect of this point of view, however, can be dissipated by our direct involvement in the community. This is not a defense of complicated or overblown participation. It is simply a call to help those less fortunate than us, with the most sincere desire. Until our focus turns to how we can capitalize on those abilities, skills, and motivations we possess to bring about good, we can’t expect great adulation from the public.

To generate well, therefore, lawyers need to get involved in the business of those who are disadvantaged. We have a responsibility to provide legal services to those who cannot pay. Lawyers who are already involved in pro bono legal services can testify that helping this group of people can be one of the most rewarding experiences in any lawyer’s life. The payoff ranges from gratitude from the person you just got out of a sticky situation to the formation of a paying, established relationship when the person’s story changes for the better.

For young lawyers who don’t always have the opportunity to handle things on their own due to the complexity of the law, pro bono work is beneficial. Not only does it feel good and give a sense of satisfaction, it also gives experience and creates an avenue to exercise and develop skills and techniques that will later be used in more substantive matters. As such, pro bono work confers an immediate benefit to young lawyers in both satisfaction and experience.

For more experienced attorneys, there may come a time in their legal careers when they begin to feel dissatisfied, uninspired, and bored. When they have tackled and conquered the legal world and amassed a great fortune for themselves. The question ‘what then?’ begins to resonate in their minds. This is the time when you wonder if what you have been doing was really what you wanted to do. Much more is needed to feel a sense of personal satisfaction and pride than material enrichment. Marshall Jones in his memoir, ‘A Lawyer’s Mid-Career Memoir,’ acknowledged that despite having been involved in literally hundreds of business transactions and lawsuits, most of which fortunately involved paying legal fees, his fondest memories involved matters in which he won free of charge. Her account of how she argued the case of Sarah Hoffman, a brave girl born with no arms and unusable lower limbs, before the Caddo Parish School Board, that federal law required the School Board to provide disabled access to physically challenged children. disabled is compelling and inspiring. .

Success in the legal profession should be understood less about the financial rewards of the practice and more about the established relationships and lives that feel the touch of humanity through us. If your life in the legal profession does not have a great purpose, it will not bring great joy. I implore everyone who can make a difference to not hesitate to make that decision today!

Bukola helen olusolade
LL.B, BL, LL.M,
[email protected]