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For me, it was the ebullience with which Gbenga Adeyeye was willing to speak with me on the subject of tech law in Nigeria. I had read Tiwa Aderemi's interview with the guardian on the subject, where she mentioned that "tech law is an emerging sector that has come to stay", and I wanted to know if Nigeria is indeed prepared to accommodate the niche.
Our conversation was “lush” – clouded with the eagerness that comes with wanting to be a part of the new tech ecosystem.
It’s even more interesting when you realize that you do not need to be a programming wizard or code guru to build a blossoming tech career. And like Gbenga Adeyeye, a tech lawyer in the sprawling city of Lagos, being in tech without complex tech skills is perhaps the most satisfying career reality.
Adeyeye is a legal and compliance officer for Semicolon Village Limited, and he speaks about his job; what it takes, and what it means to be a tech lawyer in Nigeria.
Did school prepare you for a career in tech law in Nigeria?
I can categorically say that the Nigerian law school as of today would not train you to be a tech lawyer. In university, all we are being taught is a general practice of law.
What we were being taught in different schools differs; for instance, law students in UNILORIN may tell you they have Islamic law in their curriculum, but we didn’t have that in the school I graduated from, Obafemi Awolowo University. Regardless of that though, once we gather at Law School, what we are being taught is the same, and no one will teach you tech law; not in university and not in Law School. So, the onus is on you to develop yourself, find a place to practice, and fit in.
So there is no academic training to prepare lawyers for the tech field?
At the moment, there are professional courses that groom you in the field, but the best you can get in the university is a course called Intellectual Property. It deals with ownership of inventions and is related to the tech field. That’s about the closely related university course inclined toward tech
How did you get into the field then?
After I left University, I was into litigation and alternative dispute resolution. But I got an opening for my present job, which is a corporate practice intertwined with tech practice. I had always wanted to do this and I’m lucky I got the opportunity to find my way in
What’s the typical job description for tech lawyers?
This is how it works; when a tech company hires you as a lawyer, you are not just there to provide legal guidance, you are also providing legal services in line with tech. For instance, one of the major things tech people deal with is data. Regulation of data in Nigeria is done by NDPR (National Data Protection Regulation), a 2019 law, which shows how recent this is.
My job then is to ensure data protection and compliance, sometimes I write terms & conditions and privacy policies, and I also work around the risk register of the company. So, my job is not restricted to legal guidance, it keeps evolving.
Going higher in your career, what other skills and functions would you have to master?
Job functions are basically defined by companies. But to individuals, there are certifications that further immerse you into tech law. We have certifications in data privacy and protection, intellectual property, risk management, and more. They are related to tech and law, and having them on your CV would jerk you up the ladder
Do you need to have tech skills to thrive within tech law in Nigeria?
I want to believe you are not talking about Java and the likes. As a tech lawyer, just know basic professional computer skills like excel, word, etc. Deep tech skills would just be a plus for you, but they are not required. But you can only come onto the field if you’re a trained lawyer.
I spoke about compliance earlier; for everything we do, we ensure we are complying with the law. You need to have the basic knowledge of Law and you can only be a trained lawyer to know this
Do you get paid as much as programmers and other techies?
Definitely not, they own the field so we are not paid as much as them
Are there specializations?
Definitely. It’s just that at the moment, the emergence of tech and law is not that broad for you to say you want to be specialized. To be marketable, spread your tentacles around all these courses I just ran through. But I think sometimes in the future, we will get to a point where someone will tell you “I’m a specialist in data protection as a lawyer”, or any of those areas I mentioned.
What is the hottest niche in tech law though?
I think at the moment, data protection is the hot gig in tech law. There will always be an exchange of data, so how do you ensure that people’s data are used rightly and not infringed upon. There are people who are intentionally getting specialization in it, so it’s perhaps the juiciest tech law niche.
Do you have to be skilled in data analysis for this?
Like I said; Collection of data, auditing it, ensuring there’s a central body that comes to do the audit annually, So, you really don’t need to be skilled in data analysis; although, it could be a plus.
Considering the fact that tech law is just emerging and there are no academic foundations for it, do you think the country is fertile enough for lawyers to grow their careers in tech?
The relationship between tech and law is not new to Nigeria alone, it’s an emerging field globally. This is what I mean; There’s NDPR in Nigeria, a 2019 law, and there’s GDPR globally, a 2020 law. So this shows how globally new it is, and not just in Nigeria. This means it might just be big enough to accommodate as many people as it can.
Also, most tech companies raise money and they require legal input for those seed rounds. Tech startups grow almost every day –Lagos is the biggest tech startup hub in Africa; so imagine that a lof fundraising will happen, and the legal input that will be needed. The onus is on you to develop yourself to fit in.
What should intending tech lawyers prepare for when coming in?
There’s a general belief that lawyers run from Mathematics, but a potential employer is big on finance. They want to constantly keep a watch on the valuation and finances of their company –call it business mathematics, but you will deal with a lot of numbers. It is not a conventional law field.
Most employers do not care about your suit and tie, come in shorts and sneakers if you like, as long as you get their jobs done. It’s a different thing if you are working in a law firm or co-lawyers around, here, they believe you are steps ahead of them and should be able to provide legal aid to them at every point of need.
Without any experience, how employable are young lawyers in tech?
I don’t think experience necessarily determines employability. One of the things my employer looked out for when he interviewed me was the zeal to get things done for a starter in tech law.
In fact, considering that it’s just an emerging field, it will be difficult for tech employers to find people with experience. Then, most employers will have you on board if there’s a senior lawyer already, even without your experience
What major legal issues do tech companies face generally?
Ownership of intellectual property is a major issue. Then, employer-employee conflict is also a major one. Most of the people that find themselves in tech today are new to the employment workspace, it’s always their first job.
For instance, many people study entirely different courses, then learn how to code and land a major tech gig or job, without knowing the rudiments of employment. So, a lawyer that works in a tech firm slightly combines HR roles with whatever they are doing. It could be as little as not understanding contract terms or company culture, even when they are really skilled. So, tech firms generally, and the lawyers that work there always have to face this.
Over the years, there’s been a migration of law graduates into other industries, especially the arts, media, and entertainment. Is there something missing in the academic system that leads to this?
I don’t think anything is missing in the education system. What is missing, rather, is the practice of law itself. You want to finish law school, get a job, and be properly remunerated.
But if you spend six to seven years studying, and it’s not financially catering to your needs, it’s just wise to opt for something itself. So, It boils down to poor financial remuneration.
There is a popular belief that a large percentage of law graduates end up as “charge and bail” lawyers, really. What other misconceptions do people have about the legal profession?
I think you already answered it, Lol. That’s a huge misconception really. Also, a lawyer is perceived to know it all, but we learn constantly and evolve with the rest of the world.
The career space in tech is growing rapidly. Thankfully, the Nigerian tech space is quite supportive of tools, resources, and information.