Beyond the Bar: Law, Leadership and Influence

The legal profession is often seen through a narrow lens: courtrooms, transactions, and technical expertise but its impact extends far beyond, shaping institutions, influencing governance, guiding business decisions, and supporting economic growth.

Beyond the Bar: Law, Leadership and Influence spotlights senior practitioners, regulators, and in-house counsel whose work drives leadership and institution-building. This month features Ituah Imhanze, FCArb, Managing Partner at KENNA, reflecting on his evolving definition of success and the role of efficient dispute resolution in economic growth.

When you look back at your early years in practice, what is one belief you held about the legal profession that experience has since changed?

Early in my career, I thought success in the profession meant winning every case and earning high fees. Experience has, however, taught me that the practice of law is ultimately about the impact on clients, professional competence, integrity, and personal fulfilment. Managing relationships and exercising sound judgment are just as important as knowing the law.

I have also learnt that clients do not just want to know what the law says; they want to know how it will impact their business and what they should do to avoid being on the wrong side of the law. Over time, I came to understand that legal expertise alone does not make one a trusted advisor; ethical integrity is essential in the legal profession, which is essential for one to excel.

At this stage of your career, how do you personally define success?

I have come to realise that the most fulfilling aspect of this work is the difference you make. Success, for me, is about impact and legacy. It is not the length of years we live in this life that truly matters, but the impact we make in the lives of others. Success to me is measured by whether I am creating opportunities for others to grow and whether the work we do leaves systems better than we found them.

Success is seeing a young lawyer I mentored over the years succeed in his career path. It is helping clients navigate a crisis that could have destroyed or adversely affected their business. It is contributing to discourse that improves how our legal system works. Success is ultimately about leaving the profession better than you found it.

I also measure success by the quality of relationships I have built with clients and colleagues through the years. In this profession, your reputation and your word are everything. If people trust you and know you deliver on your commitments, you have truly succeeded.

Looking at the Nigerian legal industry today, what conversations do you think we spend too much time on, and what important issues are not getting enough attention?

There is no doubt that we spend productive time having mundane conversations that dismiss resistance to technology, politics without reforms, status obsessions, conversations that place courtroom advocacy above and beyond Alternative Dispute resolutions and other evolving and budding areas of law.  We do not spend enough time discussing why many ordinary Nigerians cannot access justice and what the remedial action should be. We do not confront the uncomfortable truth that our legal education system is producing lawyers faster than the profession can meaningfully absorb them. Even more importantly, we are not having enough discussions about the justice system’s reform. Our courts are understaffed, underfunded, and overwhelmed. We need to have a serious, sustained dialogue about judicial reform. We need to interrogate how technology can improve access to justice and how alternative dispute resolution can ease the burden on courts.

We also need a more honest conversation about mental health in the profession and how to manage the intense pressures lawyers face on a daily basis.

In your experience, what role do lawyers play in shaping institutions that is often misunderstood or underestimated?

The true value of a good lawyer is in preventing problems before they arise and in building systems that work. In private institutions, lawyers are often the architects of governance structures. We help design the frameworks that determine how decisions are made. When companies succeed over the long term, it is often because they have strong governance foundations, and that is the result of legal work, even if that work remains largely invisible.

In public institutions, lawyers play a crucial role in translating policy into workable legal frameworks. A brilliant policy idea can fail completely if the legislation is poorly drafted or if the enforcement mechanisms are weak. Lawyers serve as the bridge between vision and implementation.

Perhaps the most underestimated role is that of the lawyer as a voice of caution and balance. When everyone is excited about a new initiative, the lawyer is often the one asking, “But what are the risks? What could possibly go wrong? Have we thought through the consequences?” This role may not be popular, but it is essential.

Do you think the quality of dispute resolution in a country has a direct bearing on investor confidence? From your experience, how does this play out in practice?

Absolutely. Dispute resolution is also an economic issue. Investors pay close attention to how disputes are resolved because disputes are inevitable in any market. What matters is whether they can be resolved fairly and somewhat predictably. When the wheels of justice are slow or enforcement is uncertain, investors factor that risk into their decisions, often at the expense of the host country.  The good news is that Nigeria has made notable progress in recent years, particularly with reforms to its arbitration framework. We anticipate more improvements in the coming years.

Can you recall a moment in your career where leadership and not necessarily legal expertise determined the outcome of a matter or project?

There have been several such instances, but one readily comes to mind. We were representing a client in a commercial dispute. Our legal position was strong. We had the law and the facts on our side, but the case was dragging on for years. The opposing counsel approached me about an amicable resolution of the matter. In my mind, I knew we could win if we pushed forward, but as I thought about it more deeply, I realised that winning in court might amount to a pyrrhic victory. The client would spend another year, or more, in litigation, incur additional costs, and, even if we won, enforcement could be another battle.

I spoke with the client and informed him of the offer for an amicable resolution of the matter as proposed by the opposing counsel. The client was initially resistant because they wanted vindication, but I explained that sometimes the best legal outcome is the one that lets you close a chapter and focus on other, more important matters. We eventually settled, and the client later confirmed that it was the right call. Recommending a course of action that served the client’s long-term interests, even where prolonged litigation might have generated more fees, was, to me, an exercise in leadership.

What leadership skill do you think formal legal training tends to under-develop, but which senior lawyers can no longer afford to overlook?

Interpersonal skills are crucial. I have seen exceptionally brilliant lawyers struggle as leaders because they could not connect with people. Communication, collaboration, emotional intelligence, and dependability are critical leadership skills.

Another skill we underdevelop is business acumen. Law school teaches us to think like lawyers, not like businesspeople. But our clients are running businesses. If we cannot understand their commercial realities, we cannot serve them effectively. We must keep advancing the business of law in like manner, the practice of law.

When you consider Nigerian law firms and legal departments today, what uncomfortable but necessary changes do you think need to be made to remain relevant?

We need to embrace technology or risk becoming irrelevant. For legal research and other legal work, technology tools can help us complete these tasks faster and more accurately. If we are not adopting these tools, we are either passing inefficiency costs to clients or placing unnecessary pressure on our people.

Furthermore, Law firms must become more deliberate about succession planning. Something that our firm has been very deliberate about. This is to ensure that the founder’s vision endures across many generations. The traditional apprenticeship model, while valuable, is no longer sufficient on its own. Firms need clearer structures and more openness to new ways of working. Also,

Finally, what piece of advice would you offer to lawyers stepping into positions of influence, whether in private practice, corporate organisations, or public service?

In the words of Thomas Osbert Mordaunt (1730 -1809), “One hour of a glorious life is worth an age without a name”. My advice would be to remember that influence is a responsibility, not a privilege. Use it to strengthen institutions, not just to advance personal interests. Be deliberate about integrity and mentorship. The decisions you make in positions of influence often outlive you, so approach them with humility and long-term perspective. Protect your integrity fiercely. Your reputation is built over years but can be destroyed in a moment. No matter how tempting a shortcut might look, remember that you have to live with yourself. The profession is small, and your reputation follows you everywhere.