- NBA President called for restructuring of law firms in Nigeria
- He urged shift from sole proprietorship to multigenerational partnerships
- Experts stressed succession planning and institutional continuity in legal practice
The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Afam Osigwe, has called for a fundamental restructuring of legal practice in Nigeria, urging lawyers to move away from founder-dependent business models and embrace structures capable of surviving across generations.
Osigwe made the appeal on Friday in Abuja during The Convergence Africa Masterclass 26 for Law, themed “Beyond the Founder: Designing Multigenerational Law Firms that Endure and Scale.” He stressed that the future of legal practice in Nigeria depends on institutionalised partnerships, shared responsibility, and effective succession planning.
According to him, many law firms in Nigeria are currently structured as sole proprietorships, where the survival of the business is closely tied to the health or life of the founder. He warned that such models are unsustainable and limit the long-term growth of the profession.
“We have a situation where most of our practitioners are sole proprietors who set up businesses, and the life and the health of the businesses are oftentimes tied to the life or the health of the owners,” he said.
Osigwe advocated a shift towards partnership-based firms that leverage collective expertise and resources, allowing older lawyers to transition into advisory roles while younger professionals take on active responsibilities. He argued that such models would ensure continuity even in the absence of founding members.
He added that modern law firms should be built as enduring institutions capable of attracting talent, pooling intellectual capital, and delivering high-quality legal services over time. According to him, this approach would also allow firms to generate long-term value for both founders and their families.
Convener of the masterclass, Patience Olusuyi, also emphasised the importance of building sustainable legal institutions. She noted that while some firms globally have existed for over two centuries, many Nigerian law firms disappear once their founders retire or pass away.
She expressed concern that this trend has prevented the development of long-lasting legal institutions in the country, calling for greater collaboration among young lawyers to build stronger firms.
In his keynote address, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Paul-Haris Ogbole, reinforced the need for strong internal structures within law firms. He stated that longevity is not achieved through publicity, but through deliberate planning, shared vision, and a sense of belonging among partners and staff.
According to him, firms must prioritise recruitment, mentorship, and succession frameworks that ensure continuity beyond the founding generation.
The discussions at the event highlighted a growing push within Nigeria’s legal community to modernise practice structures and align with global standards, where many law firms have successfully operated for decades, and in some cases centuries.