Key highlights
- Nairametrics presents the top six law firms to work for in Nigeria as a law graduate.
- Almost every Nigerian law graduates aspire to work in reputable firms for high pay.
- Factors affecting a Nigerian lawyer’s salary include firm size, specialization, legal market, and experience.
It is the dream of every Nigerian law graduate to work in a big/reputable law firm and earn a high salary…..CONTINUE READING...CONTINUE READING
However, spending 5 years in a university and 1 year in law school does not always guarantee that one can work in a reputable law firm, nor does it guarantee good pay. The sad reality is that some lawyers in Nigeria today are paid as little as N20,000.
Several factors determine your salary range as a Nigerian lawyer. These factors include:
The size of the law firm: Larger law firms typically offer higher salaries than smaller firms. This is because they have more resources and can afford to pay their employees more.
Area of practice or specialization: The area of law that you specialize in can also have an impact on your salary. Some practice areas, such as corporate law and intellectual property law, tend to pay higher salaries than others.
The legal market: The state of the legal market in Nigeria can also affect your salary. If there is a high demand for lawyers in your area of specialization, you are likely to earn a higher salary.
Your experience level: Your level of experience as a lawyer can also impact your salary. Generally, the more experience you have, the higher your salary is likely to be.
Background Information
As a legal practitioner in Nigeria, you have the right to practice law in a law firm to render legal services to clients.
To provide legal services in Nigeria, a lawyer must be qualified to practice in Nigeria as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court.
According to the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2007 (RPC), a lawyer owes a duty to their client, the court, and the state and in other to become a lawyer in Nigeria, one must successfully conclude a five-year undergraduate program in law from any Nigerian University that has an already accredited Faculty of Law and obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Law (LLB) or foreign universities with accredited law programs.
Following this, comes a one-year program of bar advocacy tutelage at any of the campuses of the Nigerian Law School where you are to obtain a qualifying certificate (BL).
If you studied law abroad, you are expected to do a mandatory bar part one training that qualifies you to go to law school.
To be qualified as a lawyer, one must also satisfy the body of benchers that you are of good character as stated by section 4(1) of the LPA.
For the benefit of those who may be interested in law firms where their lawyers are well-paid, Nairametrics has put together the top 6 law firms to work as graduate lawyers in Nigeria. This list was carefully selected and collated, based on interviews with some select successful lawyers across the country.
PERCHSTONE & GRAEYS
Speaking to Nairametrics, a lawyer who works at Perchstone & Graeys said that youth corps members are paid N150,000 at the law firm while one-year post-call lawyers can earn as much as N350,000.
He further disclosed that making Partners at their law firm is based on performance and could be from 10 years and above.
ǼLEX
ǼLEX is a full-service commercial and dispute resolution law firm with its head office in Lagos and other offices in Port Harcourt, Abuja, Nigeria, and Accra, Ghana. The firm has 11 partners and 2 international counsels.
In ǼLEX, the salary offer ranges from 3,960,000 to 4,560,000 per annum, with other benefits including a 13th-month salary, leave allowances, bonuses, comprehensive HMO, pensions, and subscriptions to professional memberships.
- Speaking on what makes ǼLEX the ideal place to work, a staff of the law firm said: “We provide our associates with a great opportunity to build their capabilities through mentorship from senior colleagues, exposure to our wide portfolio of international clients, international training opportunities, and secondments to international law firms in the US and UK. Our expert workforce is based on a collegial culture, which we take great pride in fostering. In addition, we have an on-site crèche to support working parents.”
Aluko and Oyebode
Established in 1993, Aluko & Oyebode is one of the largest full-service law firms in Nigeria, providing a comprehensive range of legal services to a highly diversified clientele, including top-tier Nigerian, international, and multinational clients.
The firm’s practice areas encompass the full range of corporate and commercial legal services, including transaction advisory and dispute resolution across all key industry sectors.
The Aluko and Oyebode team has been recognized locally and internationally for handling complex, market-defining, and precedent-setting transactions, and their lawyers are recognized as industry experts in their various areas of specialization.
Their dispute practice is led by four Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) and one SAN designate.
The firm’s offices are located in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt.
In response to an email sent by Nairametrics, the firm said that in recruiting fresh graduates, they look out for bright, driven, and motivated individuals who are interested in building a legal career and able to align with their core values of integrity, creativity, team spirit, hard work, and excellence.
Responding to what makes the law firm the ideal place to work, they said, “Aluko & Oyebode is a great place to build a legal career. Lawyers have the opportunity to work on exciting, challenging, and significant transactions that make a difference.
They will also have the opportunity to be managed and mentored by seasoned professionals in a collaborative and supportive environment.
“The Firm also encourages the development of the whole individual, and our lawyers are involved in meaningful pro bono work and community engagement.”
Speaking on their salary package, they said, “Our remuneration package is competitive and includes benefits such as health insurance, mental health support for employees and dependents, as well as social, recreational, and fitness amenities.”
Banwo and Ighodalo
Established on February 1, 1991, with a resolve to create a world-class law firm, Banwo & Ighodalo (“B&I”) is now known for providing innovative, competent, cost-effective, and well-timed solutions.
B&I is structured as a partnership and is a fairly large-sized Nigerian firm, presently comprising over Eighty (80) solicitors.
The firm undertakes work for public and private companies, governments, Nigerian and foreign investors, financial institutions, foreign law firms, and international consultancy firms.
The firm’s head office is situated in Lagos at 48, Awolowo Road, South West Ikoyi, with its regional office in Abuja at 50 Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama.
The firm is consistently ranked as a leading Nigerian law firm in the areas of Capital Markets, Securities, Mergers & Acquisitions; Corporate Finance & Restructuring, Project Finance, and Foreign Investment & Divestment. (Also) Shipping, Aviation & International Trade, Energy & Natural Resources, and Intellectual Property practice areas.
The firm also has a tested and dependable track record in Commercial Litigation.
For Entry-Level Recruitment Criteria, B&I says their lawyers are selected for their embodiment of qualities. “We look for dedicated, passionate, intelligent lawyers. We deliberately recruit and train for innovation, knowledge, and the ability to create solutions for our clients.”
According to them, their entry-level remuneration ranges from N200,000 to N350,000 net with other benefits and bonuses.
Speaking on what makes the firm an ideal law firm to work, they said, “We are a tier 1 law firm, where passionate individuals can make a real difference, work on cutting-edge deals that make the headlines and help shape the world that we live in.
With the support and training received, our lawyers can achieve their potential and make a big impact.”
As of November 2022, the firm said they had 15 partners, and the progression to partnership differs from person to person.
When asked how many partners the firm had, they said 15 partners as of the time this interview was conducted in November 2022.
They also state that making Partner at Banwo and Ighodalo, they said Progression to partnership differs from person to person with an average timing of 10-12 years.
When asked what is the youngest career age of a partner, they said some partners got admitted at a very young age (30), and their recruitment is not only limited to graduates that bagged first class.
Templars
Templars is a full-service law firm whose ethos is predicated on its dedication to meeting the commercial objectives of clients while providing quality legal services.
The Firm’s offices are allocated in Lagos and Abuja, with their practice structurally divided between litigation/arbitration and advisory work.
As stated on their website, their lawyers are well-versed in domestic and international business transactions involving the formation of multinational strategic alliances and business arrangements…..CONTINUE READING
