The Nigerian Legal System operates
a common law system as opposed to civil law. It is similar to other
Commonwealth countries like Australia, South Africa, Canada and so on. To become
a lawyer in Nigeria, the individual must scale through different hurdles.
The
individual must first complete an undergraduate degree called the LLB in a
Nigerian or Foreign University. The undergraduate curriculum comprises twelve compulsory
core courses which the individual is required to pass. Some of those core
courses include, Nigerian Legal System, Company Law, Constitutional Law, Law of
Evidence, Criminal Law, Law of Torts and so on. The contents of these courses
of study must be approved by the Council of Legal Education.
a common law system as opposed to civil law. It is similar to other
Commonwealth countries like Australia, South Africa, Canada and so on. To become
a lawyer in Nigeria, the individual must scale through different hurdles.
The
individual must first complete an undergraduate degree called the LLB in a
Nigerian or Foreign University. The undergraduate curriculum comprises twelve compulsory
core courses which the individual is required to pass. Some of those core
courses include, Nigerian Legal System, Company Law, Constitutional Law, Law of
Evidence, Criminal Law, Law of Torts and so on. The contents of these courses
of study must be approved by the Council of Legal Education.
The next step is to enroll
at the Nigerian Law School Bar Part II programme which is run by the Council of
Legal Education. The Nigerian Law School is responsible for the education and
training of law graduate in vocational knowledge and practical skills. All
courses in the Nigerian Law School are compulsory and students must obtain at
least a pass degree to complete the programme. Some of the courses are Criminal
Litigation, Civil Procedure, Property Law, Corporate Law and Practice and Law
in Practice (Ethics and Skills).
at the Nigerian Law School Bar Part II programme which is run by the Council of
Legal Education. The Nigerian Law School is responsible for the education and
training of law graduate in vocational knowledge and practical skills. All
courses in the Nigerian Law School are compulsory and students must obtain at
least a pass degree to complete the programme. Some of the courses are Criminal
Litigation, Civil Procedure, Property Law, Corporate Law and Practice and Law
in Practice (Ethics and Skills).
Students are also required
to complete two period of Court and Law firm externship for a duration of three
months in order to gain practical experience of how the legal system works.
to complete two period of Court and Law firm externship for a duration of three
months in order to gain practical experience of how the legal system works.
There are myriad of problems
faced with the contents, training and practice of lawyers in Nigeria. It must
be noted that what is obtainable in universities and law school is usually very
different from what is obtainable in practice. The curriculum used in training
the present generation of lawyers is very conservative. Attentions are not paid
to emerging areas of law. In contrast with other jurisdictions, faculties of
law have the inherent power to introduce courses that reflects societal changes.
Many of the lecturers stick to note dictating as opposed to projecting lectures.
Although, the Nigerian Law school is changing the manner in which law is taught
through PowerPoint presentations, this could still be improved. There is no
real practice of what is being taught. As a matter of fact, the externship
period is usually a time to prepare and study for the upcoming examinations
which is not supposed to be so. Thus, we are just robots who take in
information and bring them out. A natural consequence of this is that the
average Nigerian law graduate is not globally competitive in an evolving legal
practice.
faced with the contents, training and practice of lawyers in Nigeria. It must
be noted that what is obtainable in universities and law school is usually very
different from what is obtainable in practice. The curriculum used in training
the present generation of lawyers is very conservative. Attentions are not paid
to emerging areas of law. In contrast with other jurisdictions, faculties of
law have the inherent power to introduce courses that reflects societal changes.
Many of the lecturers stick to note dictating as opposed to projecting lectures.
Although, the Nigerian Law school is changing the manner in which law is taught
through PowerPoint presentations, this could still be improved. There is no
real practice of what is being taught. As a matter of fact, the externship
period is usually a time to prepare and study for the upcoming examinations
which is not supposed to be so. Thus, we are just robots who take in
information and bring them out. A natural consequence of this is that the
average Nigerian law graduate is not globally competitive in an evolving legal
practice.
The various questions that
come to mind are; is the training received at the Nigerian law school
sufficient? How can the Council of Legal Education raise the bar in ensuring
that the next generation of lawyers would be adequately equipped?
come to mind are; is the training received at the Nigerian law school
sufficient? How can the Council of Legal Education raise the bar in ensuring
that the next generation of lawyers would be adequately equipped?
The various issues and
challenges of preventing trafficking and the way forward would be discussed at
the Plenary Session of the NBA Annual General Conference scheduled to hold on;
challenges of preventing trafficking and the way forward would be discussed at
the Plenary Session of the NBA Annual General Conference scheduled to hold on;
Date: Tuesday,
27th August 2019
27th August 2019
Time: 11.00 – 12.30
Venue:
Orchid, Eko Hotel
Orchid, Eko Hotel
Speakers:
Moderator: A.B Mahmoud SAN
Panelists:
J.U.K Igwe SAN
J.U.K Igwe SAN
Prof C. Agomo
Prof. Isa Chiroma (Director General,
Nigerian Law School)
Nigerian Law School)
Gloria Ballason