Dr Solomon Osagie, a corporate lawyer and General Counsel and Company Secretary at Cashplus Bank, provides us with the ins and outs of the profession of corporate law. 

“Commerce drives society”. Law underpins it. This is the view Dr Osagie, an established corporate lawyer who believes his profession is, in general, grossly misunderstood. Its versatility and satisfaction are seemingly much greater than you may think. The joys of “completion” and “implementation” are central in this area of law. You watch your work play out from start to finish. Very satisfying. No floating about "somewhere along the chain.” The field focuses on dealing with strategy and outcomes, for example, a transaction to establish a bank, or how companies relate to one another. Knowledge of finance and governance are two other necessary parts of the job but especially attractive is the ability to be the master of your own work. Dr Osagie cites that he is usually able to control where and how he works, something I certainly found appealing. 

 It was a pleasure to understand that corporate law didn’t only involve subservience to a desk. A crucial and attractive part of Dr Osagie’s job is travel and working with people from all walks of life. This field being an international one, Dr Osagie spent a lot of time completing and implementing abroad. However, as to be expected, the pandemic put a stop to this. Although a situation of initial uncertainty, Dr Osagie says it provided him with a crucial lesson. A lot can happen from home.  

So, Law is versatile, fulfilling, international. This, however, does not mean that, like every other profession, it is devoid of its challenges. Dr Osagie has grown quite accustomed to being the only black man in the room. He doesn’t feel that you can “escape” discrimination seeing as "you can't legislate against prejudice”, however there is an “increase in people reflecting on their behaviour”. He states that he has just had to learn to cope better. Generational hope is very real to him. He believes that younger generations are more tolerant and perhaps have “a better understanding of what is acceptable”. Dr Osagie also mentored/ was a trustee on the Queens Young Leaders programme. It was a highly notable experience, an excellent chance for young people across the commonwealth to be provided with an equal chance. To quote him, “Most people don’t thrive, not because they can’t, but because they don’t have the opportunity.” 

A career in law usually comes with the promise of longer hours. Therefore, time management is absolutely essential. Despite this, Dr Osagie states that his job is “not a chore” but his passion. “Take time to understand your work” he says to young people. In fact, he took so much time he has ended up writing a book. "Integrating Financial Services Regulation: Exploring Some of the Challenges Posed by the EU Data Protection Regime". Dr Osagie believes his ability to deliver the book in a comprehendible way was due to his deep understanding and interest in the subject matter. Balance and time regulation allowing for successful writing, a personally attestable fact. 

Law is a desirable profession, requiring intelligence, providing a deep understanding of the legal system, often accompanied by a large salary... Yet Dr Osagie had this to say about the greatest obstacle to people looking to get into law. Poor advice. “Young people are not as informed about law as they should be”. Talk to those in the profession, Dr Osagie urges. Keep yourself informed about different opportunities. It is highly likely that you will, have read all this way, be considering or at the very least intrigued by a career in law. Keep in mind its breadth and the multitude of doors it can open for those who choose it.