Dearest Colleague,
My unadulterated botanical name is Nkobowo Frederick Nkobowo; currently a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Pardon the full unveiling of my appellation or title. I was called to the Nigerian Bar a number of years ago (which is at the time of this writing is not long enough for me to apply for silk). However, my sphere of practice so far has majored on dispute resolution and as one given to occasionally spilling ink on paper, it was not unnatural that my hands would itch to write on the subject.
When I started out practice, I sought for materials that could guide my very green wig; written materials that is. After all, it was presumed that Law school and my University had taught me all the substantive and procedural law I needed to know (to at least start). But the sections and rules aside, I needed some meat and tales from practice. I love stories (not gossip unless…) and so I sought for books by great legal luminaries chronicling their headaches in court and how they overcame them. I found a few foreign books; like Alan Dershowtiz’ letters to a young lawyer (I could not buy the book but found just its preface to read) and very few others written by our own Luminaries such as; Yemi Osinbajo’s master piece on cross examination and Hints on legal practice by Anthony Ekundayo. These books were absolutely helpful and I never resist or overcome the urge to recommend them to any practitioner. I also found back then (even before reading law) initiatives like dtalkshop.com (takaii), dairy of a baby lawyer (featured in thisday lawyer) and threelegals.com; these initiatives urged my short self so strongly back then.
Now some very few years along this road of legal practice, the inspiration came to write a few notes from my own inconsistently kept personal practice journal. This has birthed ‘litigation notes’. I do not write these notes as the originator of Court room practice or as the Learned silk who rose to being a Justice of the Supreme Court. I write them as a practitioner who hopes to stir discussions on the subject and learn along the way.
So beginning with this month (July 2021), I will be publishing litigation notes. I hope to share and learn in the process.
Thank you and I do hope you enjoy this ride.
Warm Regards