Establishment, Management and Structure of Partnership (with Reference to Law Firms) 

February, 2023 - Lawrence Anga, AELEX

The most common form of legal practice in Nigeria is the one-man practice this could be in the form of either a sole practitioner or a sole proprietorship arrangement. In the sole practitioner arrangement, there is only one lawyer who is the owner of the firm while all other staff in the office are not lawyers but support staff. In the sole proprietorship arrangement, the lawyer - owner employs other legal practitioners to assist him in his practice. The firm can range in size from one lawyer with one junior, to one lawyer owner and up to twelve juniors. Most litigation focused lawyers practice as sole practitioners or sole proprietors, perhaps because of the belief that clients retain litigation lawyers based on their individual advocacy skills. Our British colonial heritage from where we inherited the practice of barristers and solicitors also encouraged the sole practitioner structure. In contrast, American law firms and British solicitors practised in law firms under a partnership structure.


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