Abstract: | The legal profession occupies a strategic position in Nigerian society, which has become increasingly reliant on lawyers for its smooth functioning. The present article is a study of lawyers in private practice in Nigeria. It stresses the social profile of lawyers, their work environment, how they secure legal business, what they do, for whom they work and status stratification within the profession. It is based on research conducted between January and July 1993, including interviews with a representative sample of 126 lawyers. The findings of the study are summarized under ten headings: social profile of lawyers in private practice; nature of practice; getting legal business; lawyer-client relationships; practice location; practice setting; running the law office; status stratification of lawyers; lawyers' income; and predictions for the future. Notes, ref. |