TheCable

Almond solicitors, a law firm, is seeking to recruit a lawyer who will be paid N25,000 monthly salary.

This pay is below the N30,000 minimum wage signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari on April 18, 2020.

It is also lower when compared to the N33,000 monthly allowance received by members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

The company, which described itself as “an excellence driven firm with a demonstrated history of working in the legal services industry” placed the advert on its Linkedin account, on Monday.

It said the ideal candidate should reside in either Ogudu, Ojota, Gbagada or Ikeja areas of the state — places where accommodation is expensive and cost of transportation is high.

“We are looking to recruit a lawyer with 1-3 years experience. Being a modest firm, The salary will be NGN25,000 for a start. This will be upgraded as clientelle base expands,” the post read.

“The ideal candidate should be should be living in Ogudu/Ojota/ Gbagada/lkeja axis and will be tasked with attending client meetings, research and organizing training programs.

“The Candidate will also be working remotely from home. There is room for growth and exposure and the role is rewarding in the medium to long term. Interested candidates should send cvs to [email protected] on or before June 12, 2020.”

In reaction, some LinkedIn users expressed shock over the amount to be paid as salary.

The users described it as demeaning for a member of the legal profession and for a graduate who spent five years at the university and another one year at the Nigeria Law School.

“This is just disgraceful and despicable to the hallowed profession,” Oluwatosin Ayinde, a user, wrote.

Chukwudi Ekene Charles, a lawyer, also wrote “You are not even ashamed to advertise this kind of job?”

Eugene Okundaye, another LinkedIn user, compared the salary to what is received by house helps and gate men.

“Haha, 25k… even house helps and gatemen earned more than that… I seriously think it’s a typo error,” he wrote.

Ifeanyi Ugwanyi, an associate at Perchatone & Graeys, displayed sarcasm saying the firm is probably seeking to recruit an undergraduate intern and not a lawyer.

“There’s a typo somewhere. Either in the figures or they are in search of an undergraduate intern. Can’t be a lawyer!” he wrote.

Joseph Nembe, who described himself as a dispute resolution attorney, said: “25k? And the ideal candidate should be living in Ikeja? What a suck joke!”

“NGN25,000??? That’s like $60 a month??? And you’re shamelessly advertising this on LinkedIn? I’m embarrassed for your “law firm” and for your Bar,” Gideon Christian, another user said.

Khadija Yusuf, a LinkedIn user, said “the firm should be reported to the federal government for offering a salary below the minimum wage”.