An Appraisal Of The Nigerian Law School Externship Programme And Experience As A Bar Vocational Training Tool For Lawyers
A.F. Afolayan, Director (Academics), Nigerian Law School, Bwari, Abuja
Mrs. Lilian Ebun Effiong, Deputy Director (Academics), Nigerian Law School, Kano Campus, Bagauda, Kano
ABSTRACT
The Nigerian Externship Programme for law school student was introduced as part of the requirements for the Bar vocational training in 2008. It is a form of practical training which law school students are meant to undergo before call to Bar. Before 2008, the programme was simply known as the “Courts attachment and the Chambers attachment” where students are attached to courts and chambers for practical training for a certain period of time. At the end of the programme, students and their principals are made to write reports on the student’s performance to the school. In the course of carrying out the reform of its curriculum, the Council of Legal Education improved on the externship programme with defined goals, objectives and outcomes. The programme now carries some weight in the overall assessment of students which is done through the “Portfolio Assessment” System. Any student who is unable to pass the Portfolio Assessment will not be eligible for Call to the Nigerian Bar. This paper therefore examines the externship programme as a vocational training tool for training young lawyers and a condition precedent to being call to the bar since its introduction in 2008 till date. It evaluates what the programme sought to achieve and whether it has actually achieved its purpose. The method the paper adopts the doctrinal research which explores primary and secondary sources of law, written texts and published materials and in this case, reliance is made on the Law School Externship Workbook for Student and Assessment. The paper suggests ways by which the programme as well as the designed Workbooks can be improved upon.
Keywords: Nigerian, Law School, Externship Programme, Legal Education, Legal Profession, Lawyer.
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