This piece is dedicated to all legal practitioners, gentlemen of the bar, and my learned friends. Let me first congratulate you all for making it this far in year 2013, and also on the verge of invading year 2014.
No doubt, year 2013 has been a year of mixed feelings. For some of us, it’s been a year of great opportunities, new heights and lofty exploits. For others, it’s been quite challenging, disappointing, and maybe frustrating. For the latter, it could be as a result of goals not achieved, expectations not met, and disappointments here and there. Nevertheless , in spite of whatever divide you fall into, one thing is common to us all, and that is the fact that we have made it this far and we all are about to enter year 2014.
The purpose of this piece is to challenge us to begin to prepare for the year 2014 with great optimism, pragmatism and definite plans. One of the ways we can do this is to begin to ask ourselves questions that demands honest answers and consequently brings out the bitter truth. For some, you have to first ask yourself whether you are actually cut out for the profession. If yes, what area of the profession are you most suited for? Is it litigation, corporate practice, academia, etc? For most of us, it is so obvious that we are on the wrong lane. Either we are not supposed to be in the profession at all, or we are in the wrong area of practice, and this has really affected our productivity, hampered our sense of fulfillment and happiness. As the year begins to round off, it is time to take that decision and start year 2014 on a new slate.
No doubt, there are also those of us that are on the right path, but the question I have for you is this – are you becoming all that you can, transcending the hurdles of mediocrity and reaching out for the best? Have you settled satisfactorily within the confines of your comfort zone? Do you know you can achieve more? Do you know you can still open that firm of yours you've always dreamed of ? Do you know you can achieve that your old dream of having your firm in more than one location? Do you know you can still go for that Masters program? Do you know you can still go into that area of law that have always caught your interest? Yes you can. This is the time to begin to strategize and make plans , because you can still do more. Don’t settle for mediocrity in year 2014.
This particular one goes out to all seniors that have their own firms, and juniors working under them. You cannot afford to enter year 2014 without a clear vision for your firm. It’s unfortunate the way most law firms are managed. No vision, values, goals, projections, standard; anything goes. It is high time we begin to build firms that will outlive us, not being lost in the web of survival, making money and satisfied with the nomenclature of being called a ‘principal’; that after we are gone, everything goes with us. Where are you taking your firm to? In the next 20 years, where do you see your firm being? What kind of firm do you want to run? What kind of employees do you want to have? How do you want your clients to see you? What impact do you want your firm to make in your community? Write them down, share them with your staff. Give your employees a sense of purpose, something to fight for, and watch the impact it will make in your firm in year 2014.
For the juniors, you are also not left out. Are you not tired of complaining about ill treatment from your seniors, most especially in the area of remuneration? Now don’t get it twisted, I perfectly understand how frustrating it can be working like a donkey and eating like an ant. All that am saying is that you can’t afford to continue like that in year 2014. You’ve got to do something about it, because complaining is not going to change anything, and guess what, the guys at the top are not changing any soon. So, begin to think smart, begin to make strategic plans, learn all that you can while working for your boss, make all the contacts you can, be good at networking, begin to plan and prepare opening your own firm. Buy books and gather materials, try saving some money and prove yourself to be good at whatever you are doing out there. All am saying is, be smart and strategic in year 2014.
I have a lot of things I would love to share with you guys, but am afraid I will stop here for now.. In conclusion, year 2014 is not going to be any different if we don’t make it to be so. It is our responsibility and nobody is going to make that happen but us. So let’s go out there and make it happen. HAPPY NEW YEAR LEARNED FRIENDS. Feel free to share your tips on how we can make year 2014 more productive.

Quite an enlightening piece my learned friend. I particularly like the advice to the juniors about being smart and thinking outside the box

And I need a job...I'm a Lawyer