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IBA/NBASBL Young Lawyers Training Programme: Fundamental Skills for a Career in Media, Entertainment and Technology Law
Moderated by NkiruBalonwu (of RDF Strategies) the 2nd session, titled ‘EMBRACING NEW FRONTIERS: FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS FOR A CAREER IN MEDIA, ENTERTAINMENT AND TECHNOLOGY, featured a brilliant discussion panel comprising of such luminaries as AfamNwokedi (of Stillwaters); Mena Ajakpovi (of Abraham & Co.), Basil Udotai (of Technologies Advisers) and Helen Anatogu (of Knowledge Resources).
In her opening comments, the moderator, NkiruBalonwu touched on current and emerging trends in intellectual property, GDPR (general data protection regulation) and even the likely impact of Brexit on bilateral trade agreements between post-EU Britain and Nigeria, especially in the above areas.
In his initial contribution, Nwokedi called for a spirit of inquiry on the part of lawyers keen to take their practice – and the fortunes of their respective practices – in the highly competitive legal marketplaceof the 21st century.
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Udotai, on his part, emphasized the crucial importance of creativity in the quest for relevance in a technology-driven world. He lamented the tendency by legal players in these parts to downplay what is currently a rising trend toward tech-savvy practice, especially in the more advanced economies of the world.
Anatogu, the other lady on the panel, echoed the views of the previous speakers on the need for a curious spirit, as much among lawyers as among the creative geniuses they offer their advice and services to, not just about innovations but also about trends. More importantly, she said, lawyers should never expect the law (which is codified) to catch up to technology (which is dynamic and fluid) all by itself. A proactive approach to legislation and litigation is therefore needed on the part of lawyers desirous of a successful practice in technology and intellectual property.
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Also speaking, Ajakpovi called on lawyers to constantly explore new terrains and reevaluate current templates as far as their practice was concerned. They must have a thorough knowledge of relevant technologies and adapt them to their practice, he added, warning that the 21st century marketplace would ‘kill’ anyone who did otherwise. He pointed to innovative laws in various jurisdictions around the world whose online practice was now yielding billions of pounds and dollars in revenue, and called on lawyers to be quick on the uptake, as legal practice would, in the years to come, respond more to technological innovation than to any other single factor.
On Brexit’s likely impact on trade and other engagements between the UK and partners such as Nigeria, the panelists agreed that, while still a work in progress, Britain’s proposed divorce from the Common Market might catalyze a growth in bilateral trade under new terms which are still in the making – more so in the areas of intellectual property, GDPR and privacy laws, among other key sectors. A sophisticated understanding and application of laws by Nigeria’s legal authorities, they maintained, was imperative, as well as a new approach to the World Trade Organization’s provisions on the exchange of intellectual property. The panelists also insisted on the following: that the 21st century young lawyer must use social media platforms (notably Linkedin, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter) to market himself and his practice; that content is ‘king’ on these platforms, and quality thereof would make the difference between relevance and irrelevance; that lawyers, rather than wait to be regulated on matters of tech and intellectual property legislation by often clueless regulators, must engage with said regulators in crafting beneficial legislation; and that the UK being a gateway into Europe for Nigerian companies, they must keep abreast of likely changes in taxation and other laws in post Brexit-Britain.
In her summation, the moderator, Balonwu, presented a poser in the form of a quote: ‘Better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation,’ and asked each panelist for their views on this, in view of the issues that were discussed. While some agreed and others disagreed with the substance of the quote, the general consensus was as follows: Sometimes imitation, when legally done, could be beneficial – as China’s progress has proved – and that there are basically 3 ways to acquire tech: buy, borrow or steal. Also, there was really NO failure in innovation, as each mistake could lead to greater understanding and, ultimately, a better product.
Like the first session, the second also featured a lively Q&A session, in which participants expressed interest and concern in areas such as how to balance policing of tech with the need to encourage creative thinking; how young lawyers can grow their interest in creative areas even while working in firms with zero interest in such areas; digital marketing; and how to protect online content, among others.
See photos below:
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