Goodwill Message to the NBA Garki Branch (Liberty Bar) on the 2026 Law Week.
The 21st Century Lawyer: Growing, Thriving & Becoming”

It is with sincere goodwill that I felicitate with the Chairman, Executives, and Esteemed Members of the NBA Garki Branch, on the occasion of your 2026 Law Week, holding from 15th to 21st May at NBA House, Abuja.

Your theme could not be more timely. The 21st-century lawyer cannot afford to remain static. Technology, economic shifts, and evolving client expectations are redrawing the boundaries of legal practice. “Growing” demands continuous learning. “Thriving” requires adaptability and resilience. “Becoming” is about deliberately shaping a practice that is relevant, ethical, and sustainable in a digital age.

As these demands rise, so must our attention to welfare. Growth without wellbeing is not sustainable. A lawyer who is overwhelmed, under-supported, or financially insecure cannot give their best to clients or the justice system. The conversation around capacity building must therefore include mental health, financial literacy, practice management, and peer support structures that keep practitioners whole while they evolve.

I commend the Garki Branch for creating a premier forum for high-level discourse, networking, and capacity building this week. The lineup promises practical tools to help members transition from traditional practice into a mindset of continuous becoming.

To all attending: register early, engage fully, and take home more than knowledge—take home connections and strategies that protect your wellbeing as you grow your practice. The Bar is stronger when its lawyers are both competent and well.

I wish the Chairman, Executives, speakers, and all participants a successful, impactful, and memorable Law Week. May Liberty Bar continue to shape the future of the profession.

Yours in service,

Audrey Chinelo Ofoegbunam, Esq, ACIArb(UK), ANICArb, ACIS, AICMC, ACTI.