₦airaland Forum

SpaceX:
Tinubu has damaged the economy and suck the money out of everyone's pocket. Clients are finding it hard to pay legal fees, tinubu must go come 2027 whether he like it or not.

This sounds like hate speech for some, but this is pure fact. Naira's value has been so bastardised by Tinubu's govt

Young Lawyers?? Okay.
What of the Older Lawyers, and or middle aged Lawyers?

AnnyChicago0989:
I never knew Nigerian lawyers were this underpaid

That's fairly common knowledge

donleo92:
No we're is easy oooh..

I have seen engineers earn 120k a month in PORTHARCOURT.

Except you go outside work

Licenced Engineers?

Seeplusplus:
Because those ones living outside Lagos have not shared their stories abi

They pay those ones between 60-80k max

List some major Towns and Cities like so.

edoman2016:
You should try to apply to big and popular law firms after you have gathered three years of legal experience at a low paying law firm.

The big and popular law firms like Wole Olanipekun and co, Femi Falana and co etc pay their lawyers with three years experience and above, atleast 500,000 naira monthly salary.

Lol! Stop blowing lies which Falana and Olanipekun? Abeggi

Dijita:
The person will be a lawyer in the legal or compliance department of the organization. e.g a lawyer working the legal or compliance department of Dangote Group, UBA etc

Ok I understand now. Thanks !

edoman2016:
You should try to apply to big and popular law firms after you have gathered three years of legal experience at a low paying law firm.

The big and popular law firms like Wole Olanipekun and co, Femi Falana and co etc pay their lawyers with three years experience and above, atleast 500,000 naira monthly salary.

Even Bloomfield dey try.

You no even factor house rent lol. The biggest elephant in the room.. one more than that u didn't add too but I won't mention now

contentEngineer:
So there's no difference between Private school teachers and Nigerian lawyers

I swear that was exactly what came to my mind when I read the post.

Despite all the huge amount of money they spent on books while in the University? Make we add LAW SCHOOL money join, you'll see that their salary isn't commensurate with the sacrifice.

Little wonder our youths don't want to go to school again. Education is fastly becoming a non-lucrative endeavour.

Nigeria is sitting on a time bomb!

franugo:
Let them what?

Persevere

Perseverance

Mordson:
This your English sounds yorubatic. You must be a Yoruba man.

💯

zedman1:
What is that perceisomething you wrote up there, twice?

Persevere
No vex

CaptainFM1:
*Persevere

We've been saying Better Days ahead since 1980!

Since 1948.

The profession didn't take all the days of the week, you can engage in side hustle(s). It's not forbidden.

Everything to you is to blame Tinubu. If you can’t contribute to a professional conversation, then take your blame mentality to low life beer parlor people. You even blame Tinubu when you can’t perform in the other room.

SpaceX:
Tinubu has damaged the economy and suck the money out of everyone's pocket. Clients are finding it hard to pay legal fees, tinubu must go come 2027 whether he like it or not.

sacajawea:
Licenced Engineers?

Yes, them go tell you say you be intern!!

Say them go teach you the work for six months

contentEngineer:
So there's no difference between Private school teachers and Nigerian lawyers

Content engineer do you know how many jobless engineers we have in Nigeria

axglide:
I know it isn’t easy, but our graduates needs to think out of the box.

A Degree in anything doesn’t mean you should be boxed into operating in that line of profession with the exception of medicine.

In this AI age, use AI to get startup ideas and be innovative. I know a childhood friend who studied law but delved into maritime law and today he’s with NIMASA.

I know everyone will find his/her foot one day. It’s just time.

Good luck with whatever your hands findeth to do.

Stop the noise check out very well his parents are Rich, I have a friend who's a lawyer

StrngT:
I want to share a simple perspective on what many young lawyers are silently dealing with in Lagos.

A lawyer earning ₦140,000 monthly and working in places like Ikeja while living around Ogudu will likely spend a good part of that salary before the month ends even take loan.

Transport alone can take about ₦45,000, especially for those who go to the office three days a week. Feeding at work and at home can easily take another ₦60,000–₦70,000.

When you put these together, more than ₦110,000 is already gone from a ₦140,000 salary, and this is before considering things like clothes, laundry, data, health needs, or unexpected issues.

In simple terms, what is left at the end of the month is usually around ₦20,000–₦25,000, and even that can disappear once something unplanned comes up.

Professional dressing is another pressure. A decent suit today costs around ₦200,000. For someone saving about ₦20k monthly, that means many months of saving just for one suit, assuming nothing else demands attention.

Yet, it is common knowledge that some law firms still pay between ₦80,000–₦100,000 monthly. At that level, basic expenses alone exceed the salary income, which means the lawyer is either depending on family support or cutting back on essentials.

This situation raises a simple question: how sustainable is this for the profession?

I also understand that many firms are under pressure from clients who delay payment or bargain legal fees down. At the same time, there are many young lawyers seeking experience, which makes it easier for firms to offer lower pay.

But we can't write off that when trained professionals consistently struggle to meet basic living needs, it affects morale, long-term commitment, and the overall quality of legal service.

This is not a discussion about anything else than to ask a sincere question whether current pay levels of Lagos lawyer realistically match the cost of living in Lagos.

I believe this is a conversation the profession needs to keep having, so that law practice can remain a respected career.

For lawyers in Lagos who were able to come out of this situation like a boss , what did you do differently? Because this is no longer funny at all.


Please mode, push to front page.

You should be thinking of increasing your streams of income (creating multiple streams of active and passive income) or ditch the job if you can't cope.

There are some male and female lawyers from around the world who have ditched their legal careers and moved to areas where they find more fulfilment.

donleo92:
Yes, them go tell you say you be intern!!

Say them go teach you the work for six months

Okay. So after the 6 months or 1 year, how much will that salary now be?

Why are you particular to lawyers, this applies to every profession in lagos including doctors

osmosis101:
Persevere
No vex

Okay Sir.

As a lawyer, my first pay as a corper in one of the big firms in Lagos was N50,000.00 per month (2005) and then i went in-house. My first in-house pay was N380,000 per month (2008) with an official car and driver. Then my next in-house pay was N950,000 (2013 with official car and driver), and then my last was N28m per annum (2016) before I resigned to do other things. Mind you, Nigeria was very affordable then oh. I wonder how a lawyer can survive on N200,000 per month in Nigeria of today. Na wah.

sacajawea:
Okay. So after the 6 months or 1 year, how much will that salary now be?

180 -200 for a start

megastu:
As a lawyer, my first pay as a corper in one of the big firms in Lagos was N50,000.00 per month (2005) and then i went in-house. My first in-house pay was N380,000 per month (2008) with an official car and driver. Then my next in-house pay was N950,000 (2013 with official car and driver), and then my last was N28m per annum (2016) before I resigned to do other things. Mind you, Nigeria was very affordable then oh. I wonder how a lawyer can survive on N200,000 per month in Nigeria of today. Na wah.

You are definitely lying or exaggerating.

donleo92:
180 -200 for a start

That is the True starting Salary then

sacajawea:
That is the True starting Salary then

For how many years, before an increment

What about the 200k consultation fee? And the 10% they collect after rent is paid? Some even get the agreement fee. That add up makes some of them comfortable

donleo92:
For how many years, before an increment

Years?? You said 6 months.