Ogbomoso Lawyer 👨🏾‍⚖️

It is very important. Especially the Rules of Court. This reminds me of something that played out on Thursday when I appeared before Justice Okunnu. The matter was slated for adoption of Final Addresses. While preparing my Final Address as Claimant’s counsel, I realised I was going to exceed the 21-page limit prescribed by the Rules of Court. Consequently, I filed a Motion seeking leave to exceed the page limit alongside the Final Address. At the hearing, I moved the Motion first, and it was granted as prayed. We then proceeded to the substantive business of the day. Learned Silk adopted his Final Address and Reply on Points of Law. However, the Rules prescribe that a Reply on Points of Law shall not exceed 5 pages, and his Reply was 8 pages. He then humbly applied to take refuge under the provision of the Rules which treats non-compliance as a mere irregularity. He made an oral application to cure the defect. The Court asked for my response. I smiled and indicated that I had no objection. The lesson here is simple: procedural rules can make or mar your case. I have no doubt that my earlier application prompted the Learned Silk to seek leave to regularise his Reply. Had he not done so, I would have urged the Court to discountenance it for non-compliance with the Rules. Many lawyers have barely scratched 60% of the Rules of Court. We tend to focus only on the popular provisions. There are areas of the rules that can make you incur heavy default fee too. Some might not be aware, but the Rules of Court provide that a Motion must be served within five (5) days of filing. Now imagine you file a Motion and fail to serve it within that time. Opposing counsel deciding not to be charitable, raises an objection and urges the Court to strike it out. Yes, your Motion can be struck out for that. The safer alternative, of course, is to apply to regularise the service and pay the prescribed penalty. But by then, you’re already on the back foot, wasting time and money. This is exactly why familiarity with the Rules is not optional. If you know these provisions ahead of time, you avoid preventable pitfalls. If you don’t, you learn the hard way often at your client’s expense. Take time to study the Rules. One day, it may be the difference between winning and losing.

April dump 9-5 edition ? Let’s have it!

“First Class graduates don’t always make the best lawyers. A very idiotic statement.

30 on the 30th ouuuuuu 🌸💞💕✨ Happy birthday to meeee

Congratulations, Esquire. Quote this tweet with a photo of you in law school.