Recent Developments in 21st Century Global Legal Practice: Emerging Markets, Prospects, Challenges and Solutions for African Lawyers

Abstract

In recent developments, there have been threatening ground breaking achievements to the practice of law. There is the influx of different types of technologies, cyborgs and other types of artificial intelligence playing in the legal arena alongside lawyers. There is the growth of non-traditional means of dispute resolution by means of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and Online Disputes Resolution (ODR) of recent taking the lead in resolution of disputes.  Networking and borderless legal practice has been at its peak with the introduction of diverse social media platforms that enables interconnectivity beyond the national boundaries and enabling cross-border relationships between clients and their lawyers and law firms amongst themselves. Also, international dealings such as commercial transactions are constantly on the increase with the deployment of various electronic media that enables same and legal process outsourcing. Aside all these, is institutional challenge arising from corporate institutions whose activities and mandates directly or indirectly affect the legal profession. Needless to say that the demands of the 21^st century have indeed presented challenges to legal practice owing to tougher economic conditions that have affected clients and their businesses with boomeranging effects on legal practice.

Against this background, this paper examines these recent developments, emerging markets, opportunities, the demands of the emerging markets and the institutional challenges that have become a clog in the wheel of progress of legal practice in Africa. The paper makes recommendations on the innovations and adjustments institutions can make towards hitch-free legal practice in Nigeria. The paper contributes to literature by examining the recent developments threatening the prospect of legal practice. It underpins the argument for the need to shift focus from the traditional legal practices to emerging fields. In doing this, the paper contends certain restrictions in the Nigeria legal profession and suggests reforms.