ating ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁with ▁a ▁b ach elor ' s ▁degree ▁in ▁Law . ▁This ▁was ▁immediately ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁Law ▁School ▁in ▁Lag os , ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁also ▁called ▁to ▁Bar . ▁He ▁later ▁obtained ▁a ▁master ' s ▁degree ▁in ▁Law ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Jos , ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁ ▁Professional ▁career ▁ ▁L al ong ’ s ▁professional ▁career ▁as ▁an ▁att orney ▁last ed ▁between ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁the ▁year ▁following ▁his ▁gradu ation ▁from ▁law ▁school , ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁the ▁dawn ▁of ▁Niger ia ’ s ▁new ▁dem ocracy . ▁During ▁this ▁period ▁he ▁worked ▁with ▁a ▁few ▁law ▁fir ms , ▁one ▁of ▁which ▁he ▁co - owned . ▁Between ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁Deput y ▁S cribe ▁of ▁the ▁Niger ian ▁Bar ▁Association ▁in ▁Pl ate au ▁State . ▁After ▁a ▁political ▁st int ▁that ▁last ed ▁seven ▁years ▁he ▁again ▁returned ▁to ▁legal ▁practice ▁as ▁the ▁Princi pal ▁Part ner ▁of ▁Simon ▁B ▁L al ong ▁and ▁Co , ▁until ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁ ▁Political ▁life ▁ ▁Simon ▁L al ong ▁tempor arily ▁disc arded ▁legal ▁practice ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁political ▁band w agon ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁Under ▁the ▁People ' s ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁( P DP ), ▁he ▁successfully ▁cont ested ▁the ▁seat ▁of ▁the ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Pl