Pilot Law

Day Judge dressed me down in open court over an application – Barr. Abdulkareem

Barrister Sulyman Olaiya Abdukareem is a law graduate of the University of Ilorin from where he earned his first degree in 2003, he proceeded to Nigerian Law School and was called to bar in November 2005.
He started his law practice in 2005 in Ilorin, Kwara State. He presently heads, S .O. Abdukareem & Co.
In his interview with IFE FANIRAN, the legal practitioner, shares many of his experiences; both in his in choosing career and other spheres of life. Excerpts.
When you are in practice, sometimes you will have experience about a case that you will always want to have such experience again.
You may be in court where you make a performance before a Judge and you know Judges are like a teacher, they mark you when you do very well, they salute your industry and advocacy.
Sometimes without any reason you may receive hostility from some Judges and some will bring you down.
I have many of this experience, but there is one particular experience that remains unforgettable.
This was 2006 when I appeared before late Magistrate Idowu, it was a criminal matter.
I had to make an application for bail.
Those days there were room for advocacy whereby you are able to exhibit finesse for advocacy.
So I made a bail application and the judge was very impress, he had to ask me where I am practising.
The moment he saw me with my Principal, he commended me in his presence and told my principal that I am very sound.
I always remember this day because when you are doing something and you receive recommendation from higher authority you feel you are doing well and you will have reason to say you want to do more.
These are the things that set someone strong, build ones courage, gives ones confident in the part of the practice.
The ugly experience I had that remains unforgettable was three years later.
When I appear at a court of Appeal Ilorin, I was to make an application before the court and Justice Ogunwumiju was in charge.
The application was normal, I said I wanted to object, so the Judge just took me up that what am I objecting in the application, before you know it she degenerated saying that how some lawyers will not do well.
Most of the lawyers present in the court, felt I have not done anything wrong and they gave me confidence, they said the Judge might have woken up from the wrong side of the bed.
This experience has remained unforgettable, you know days like that use to kill morale of a lawyer.
Ordinarily I felt bad about this experience but as a matter of fact I have been in court and I have seen senior advocate being dressed down before the court so I know is part of doing the job.
Sometimes you will be dressed down without no justification, sometimes they may dressed you down for you to learn in a very bitter way and if you don’t have such experience there is nothing you will give people coming behind you.
Whether you like it or not some people have thought them and you also will have course to teach other people in the act of legal practice.
So there is no lawyer that will have good experience with having the bad experience.

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