Law Ladies Day (LLD) 2024, held at the prestigious University of Lagos’ J.F. Ajayi Auditorium, was a resounding success. This year’s theme was “Herchievements: Every Win, Every Woman.” The event showcased inspiring panel discussions featuring lawyers from diverse fields, tech professionals, and creatives from the entertainment industry. The sessions addressed both the academic and non-academic aspects of life, offering valuable insights and inspiration.
Here are the highlights from some standout sessions of the day.
Your Law Degree, Your Way: Creating a Career That Fits You
The first panel session, moderated by Tolulope Hicks, included distinguished professionals such as Odunola Mafi, Team Lead, Legal and Compliance Department of Cordros Capital; Kelechi Achinonu, Regional Head, Justice Accelerator, West Africa; Beverley Agbakoba-Onyejianya, Partner/Head of Sports, Entertainment & Technology (SET) Group, PAL; Oluwatamilore Sowunmi, Associate, Aluko & Oyebode.
Odunola Mafi began her career in a traditional law firm setting, driven by a desire for more than what litigation offered. After three years in litigation, she transitioned to compliance. Initially, as a law student, she aspired to be a Human Rights lawyer like Gani Fawehinmi. However, she unexpectedly found herself in the capital markets sector, an area she hadn’t anticipated due to the challenges she faced with corporate law in school.
When asked about aspects of the legal field she would like to change, Odunola emphasized the need for greater awareness of the diverse opportunities available to young lawyers beyond traditional roles. She also advocates for changes in how young lawyers approach real-life issues and develop the ability to think quickly on their feet.
Speaking on her background, Kelechi Achinonu shared that she didn’t want to pursue litigation. She discovered she had a flair for operations management. Her journey into tech began when she attended a software engineering boot camp in Abuja, which eventually led her to start with Law Pavilion. When asked about aspects of the legal field she would like to change, she emphasised that legal education should be optimised to align more closely with real-life practices.
To identify emerging trends, Kelechi looks at developments in first-world countries. She noted that young lawyers should position themselves to offer value when these trends eventually reach our region. She encourages young lawyers to recognize that whatever their interests, there will always be a role for them. She firmly believes that if there isn’t a seat at the table, you should “make the goddamn table yourself.”
Beverley Agbakoba-Onyejianya pursued a career in compliance law, initially avoiding law because she felt she couldn’t match the achievements of her renowned father, David Agbakoba. She transitioned to entertainment law after a friend sought her opinion on the subject. Leveraging her legal background, she has founded a women’s group, launched a law accelerator, and established a legal startup hub.
Beverley encourages learning another language to facilitate global connections, emphasising the importance of seeing people as the greatest asset. She has built a community of over 150 individuals across Africa and Europe, all interested in various aspects of sports. She believes adding a human touch to one’s work helps in connecting with the audience. Beverley advises writing articles on topics of interest, as they can reach farther than personal efforts. She also critiques the focus of legal education on litigation, advocating for more emphasis on diverse forms of dispute resolution, as the current curriculum is too limited.
Oluwatamilore Sowunmi’s journey into compliance began in law school and progressed through her work at Aluko & Oyebode. Initially uncertain, she found clarity after an internship, a source of pride for her. She advises young lawyers to maximise their opportunities, including taking advantage of free courses offered by Harvard and Oxford. She also recommends volunteering for NGOs that align with their interests.
She believes data protection is a blooming field and advocates that students use their mobile phones for self-education rather than solely for pleasure. She manages a mentorship program where interested individuals can apply by sending a cover email outlining their interests and goals, facilitating mentor matching. More details can be found in the flyer below.
Charting Your Path: Exploring Career Opportunities in Entertainment Law, Talent Management, and Artistry for Young Women
The second panel session, moderated by Elizabeth Ibrahim, included distinguished professionals such as Waje Iruobe, Executive Director of Hermanes Media; Amanda Uzoagbe, Head of Licensing West Africa at Mdundo; and Aramide Akintunde, Talent Project Manager at Spaceship Collective.
Waje Iruobe highlighted the significance of inclusivity and collective success in the entertainment industry. She stressed that the success of individual women creates pathways and opportunities for others, thus breaking barriers and fostering a supportive environment. Waje emphasised that when more women excel, it benefits the entire industry, promoting a culture where women can thrive. She recently launched a record label called Test Records, which focuses on representing 80% of women.
She encouraged young women to support each other and seek out mentors who can guide them in their careers. Waje also shared her personal journey and the challenges she faced, underscoring the importance of resilience and perseverance.
Amanda Uzoagbe discussed the significant strides made by female Nigerian artists in breaking industry norms and achieving remarkable success. She pointed out the male dominance in the music industry and emphasized the necessity for women to take on visible and leadership roles to shift this balance. Amanda believes that each victory by a woman is a collective win, inspiring and encouraging more women to join and excel in the industry.
She advised young women to be bold and proactive and to leverage networking opportunities to advance their careers. Amanda also highlighted the importance of understanding the business side of the industry, including licensing and rights management, to ensure artists are adequately compensated for their work.
Aramide Akintunde focused on the growing presence of women in talent management and entertainment, traditionally male-dominated fields. She expressed her inspiration from the increasing number of women occupying these spaces, reinforcing the belief that women can achieve anything they set their minds to. Aramide shared insights from her experience in talent management, stressing the importance of passion, dedication, and continuous learning.
She encouraged young women to seek out roles that align with their interests and to be persistent in the face of obstacles. Aramide also highlighted the need for more female representation in decision-making positions within the industry to foster diversity and inclusivity.
Beyond The Books – Exploring The Non-Academic Side of Life
The third panel session, moderated by Victoria Ayandele, included distinguished professionals such as Treasure Okure, a Creative/Content Marketer; Peace Solomon, a Product Designer; and Mary-Esther Anele, a Career Content Creator and Coach.
Treasure Okure, a marketer and current 500-level law student, stressed the importance of asking for help and documenting experiences. She believes networking should be all about helping others, which in turn aids personal growth. Her advice boils down to three key points: do great work, share it, and build relationships with those around you.
Mary-Esther Anele encouraged undergraduates to broaden their career options despite challenges in the job market. Her message was clear: don’t be afraid to broaden your career options even if the current job market is plagued with the problem of “ we can’t hire you because you are from Nigeria.”
Peace Solomon, also a 500-level law student and product designer, advised against dwelling on failures. Instead, she recommends leaning on your support system and documenting your journey to appreciate your growth. She emphasised the importance of growing alongside your peers.
Spotlight On The VP: Woman Commando
Planning an event is an arduous task, and planning an event in its tenth year is even more demanding. This year, Bessie Obort, the Vice President of the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, and her amazing team members, including Blessing Oguche and Tijani Olamide, organized the event.
A staff writer in the LSS Blog team sat with Bessie Obort and asked how she braved it all, and this is what she said.
In response to the first question, which was how she balanced the gruelling compact of planning the Law Ladies Day and attending classes and studying, she let out dragged-out laughter and said, “Well, the first thing you must know is that this is not easy, and if you are planning to take on a leadership role, you must be ready to sacrifice a lot.”
She went on to talk about strategy. How she knew what was imperative and what wasn’t. “I drafted out a timetable for my classes and made sure I was dedicated. One hour before classes, I made sure I’d cleared whatever was on my plate, attended whatever meeting I would attend, and assigned tasks to the other amazing team members.”
This time, in what was nearly a whisper, she said, “Sure, I didn’t read every day, but I tried. I did what I thought was my best.”
“Ah, that was a lot!” she said in response to the second question. How overwhelming was the event financially? She sat upright and started: “Help did not come directly from the faculty. You do such things alone. You find sponsors alone. You take money from your pocket. I remember saying you’d have to sacrifice a lot of things as a leader, right? Your finances are one of them. You do this and that. The authorities consider this event a non-faculty event, and because of this, you have to start from scratch to build, save, and gather funds. It was a lot, really. I remember how I would break down to cry, but my loved ones held me in every way they could. And if the last Vice-President, Chidera Robinson, could do this, then I can, too. I am particularly thankful to the sponsors who reached out.”
However, amid the impediments, she had a sense of fulfilment. In the third question, we asked her how she felt doing all of this, and she said with relief and pride infused in her voice: “You know, there’s something about starting from scratch, which is merely thinking about an idea and birthing something incredibly beautiful. I did it scared, but one thing I know is that if we don’t try, we will never know. From mind-mapping to working with my amazing teammates to wanting to give up to get the finishing touches done? It was mind-blowing. It is such an honour to have pulled this off, and perfectly, too.”
She talked about the highlights of the event: “From going to the orphanage outreach to the shared laughter with my team members and looking out for sponsors (especially Waje who agreed to also perform!) to the committee members looking at Law Ladies’ Day, and the theme Herchievements manifesting itself? Those were my highlights and even more.”
She ended with the talk about the vision for women in the Law field; how she wanted Law Ladies to be sure of themselves, to believe they could, and that they would. “The point of the event is to celebrate all women, to embrace all women, to visualise representation, and make them realise that they, too, could try. I was so proud of that event because gathering women who walked big and fiery paths to speak with us was such an honour, and it’ll inspire young girls out there, I’m very sure.”
The talk ended, and she smiled. The smile of someone cloaked in self-assuredness as if they had accomplished their task and more. The LSS blog team is grateful to have her speak with us.
Law Ladies Day 2024 was a beacon of inspiration. The day was filled with valuable insights and practical advice from successful professionals across various fields, as well as entertaining performances. Missed this year’s Law Ladies Day? Keep an eye out for next year’s event. Stay tuned! The Law Ladies team has a magazine that will feature more inspiring stories from women breaking barriers in law and beyond.
Written by Ivuoma Esther Nnadozie, Mosimi Akinlabi, and Chinonso Nzeh
The Law Students' Blog. 