How Nuru built her own law firm

Self-employment can be a satisfying way to make a living. Because it takes determination, commitment, and creativity to work for yourself and build a successful business.

This became a daily reminder for the founder and managing partner of NJ Attorneys and Consultancy, Nuru Mtambo, an advocate of the High Court who specializes in corporate and immigration law.

A graduate of the Bachelor of Law program at Mzumbe University and a postgraduate diploma in legal practice from the Law School of Tanzania, Nuru built her own company after being rejected many times for job opportunities.

She went through a tough time after being sworn in as an advocate. She wasn’t able to get a job for years. However, in 2021, she managed to find an opportunity as an unpaid volunteer at a law firm.

According to Nuru, that was the beginning of a new chapter and the building blocks for her organization. She used her business connections to create a potential client list.

“Life was very difficult after I passed the bar exam and was sworn in. I had no money to the extent I wondered why I had come all this way. During my internship, I was only paid money for bus fare,” explains Nuru.

But she didn’t let the tough situation determine her future or success. Nuru started creating content that addressed the legal challenges women faced. In the process, she provided support to women and, as a result, promoted her legal abilities.

She soon started getting clients in need of her services, but she had no office.

“I used to meet some of my clients at coffee shops. While doing so, I was also saving money for my organization,” Nuru says.

She states that her good service, creativity, and confidence are what made her the person she is today.

Through her connections, Nuru managed to raise Sh15 million as capital for her business. She used the money to register her law firm and officially launch the company. At the moment, she only has one intern but plans to grow strategically as business expands. Some of her clients include TanAir, Shamwaa, Viva all Viva, Baridi Group Ltd., Gate Company, and Citi distributors.

Being fearless is what has made Nuru the person that she is today. “I have been working on myself and my dream of being in this position by making sure that I’m self-disciplined and that I always respect what I do,” she says.

While she was pursuing her secondary school education, Nuru didn’t know if she wanted to become an advocate.

Her father always wanted her to pursue the field of medicine.

“I was the best student at Zanaki, with a division 1.7. My father believed I would make a good doctor. I thought otherwise. Thank goodness other members of the family supported me and my ambitions,” Nuru explains.

When she joined Mzumbe University, things were tough. Her brother was the first mentor to make sure that she succeed in the subjects by giving her hope.

“I started working hard. With my three years at Mzumbe, I didn’t get supplementary and succeeded in developing my passion, which included ensuring I defended women’s rights,” explains Nuru.

She says she has been using her skills to provide pro bono legal services to women, such as those going through divorce and having no legal representation.

Adding to that, Nuru sharing her story as an inspiration to other women. As a result, she attends seminars and women’s conferences and engages in discussions aimed at empowering women. One of the key messages she always shares with fellow women is that “anything is possible and can be achieved as long as hope is not lost.”

“Women need to believe in themselves; they need to make sure that in whatever they’re doing, they must not allow fear to creep in because it inhibits them from pursuing their dream,” she says.

Explaining challenges she goes through in the legal industry, Nuru says that women lawyers are objectified and never appreciated for their professional qualification.

Nuru explains that the reason many women shun the field of law is because of their mind-set and some institutional barriers.

“Sometimes the fear of exposure causes women to lean in, and this is led by a lack of confidence and a panic about being able to do it all over again,” comments Nuru. To attain success and be able to work in a corporate environment, she insists on mentorship and coaching as guiding pathways.

“Women need to change their mindset from, “I can’t do this or do that,” to “everything is possible.” “Be confident, fearless, and ready to learn because through learning, you will be able to know lots of staff and be confident enough to stand and work in different environments,” she says.