Pioneering programmer needs a lawyer (3)
I believe the answer is:
ada
'pioneering programmer' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this defines the answer.
'a lawyer' is the wordplay.
'lawyer' becomes 'da' (abbreviation for District Attorney).
'a'+'da'='ADA'
'needs' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for ada that I've seen before include "-- Lovelace, pioneer in computing" , "Computer language; girl's name" , "Programming language" , "Novel by Vladimir Nabokov" , "Woman" .)