Young Lawyer: Need for continuing legal education in Nigeria

Observers say the new knowledge is a manifestation that the world is indeed a global village and that every villager must constantly search for knowledge in order to survive in the challenging environment.The wave of globalization blowing across the world puts man on his toes to discard the three primordial needs and go in search […]

Observers say the new knowledge is a manifestation that the world is indeed a global village and that every villager must constantly search for knowledge in order to survive in the challenging environment.
The wave of globalization blowing across the world puts man on his toes to discard the three primordial needs and go in search of knowledge.
Law, which is regarded as the oldest profession in the world, is no doubt challenged by the new world social, economic and cultural order due to its quintessential roles in the society. It is therefore not lost on the legal practitioners to see beyond the lens of universities or schools in order to advance their careers.
It was suggested that the need for continuing legal education (CLE) cannot be over-emphasized in the realm that lawyers are the bulwark of the society and need to adapt to the changing developments therein in order to perform their duties.
Continuing legal education is the professional education of lawyers that takes place after their initial admission to the bar. This education could be in any discipline or field and varies from period to period.
Many countries have not only realized the import of legal education but have also made it a pre-requisite for lawyers to practice.
For instance, in the United States of America, continuing legal education is required of attorneys to maintain their license to practice law.
CLE accreditation is given on a state-by-state basis. There is no nationwide accreditation since CLE programmes are administered by the state supreme courts through special CLE commissions or boards.
Continuing legal education in the Philippines requires members of Integrated Bar of the Philippines to ensure that throughout their career, they keep abreast with law and jurisprudence as well as maintain the ethics of the profession.
Albertia area of Canada has a mandatory continuing legal education requiring preparation of annual CLE plans. Lawyers in the area develop their plans and declare to the Law Society of Albertia on an annual basis.
In Nigeria, the Legal Education Act of 1976 empowered the Council Establishment and of Legal Education to provide further education for those  willing to practice law in  the country.
According to the act, the council comprises among others attorneys-general of states, director-general of Nigeria Law School, representatives of Ministry of Justice, President of Nigerian Bar Association and 15 persons who have put in nothing less than 10 years in legal practice.
Although the council  had done its bit in keeping its mandate, observers are of the opinion that there is still need for vigorous continuing legal education in Nigeria in view of the current trends in the world.
Speaking at a recent conference organized by the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Business Law, Mr Harold Paisner, Chairman, International Issues Committee of the Law Society of England and Wales, said Nigerian lawyers need to constantly keep abreast of developments in the global world through increased knowledge.
He said doing so would be a veritable enabler to break into legal practice in the world as well as move Nigeria’s legal practice to global circle.
Mr Gbenga Oyebode (SAN) is of the opinion that there is pressing need for Nigerian lawyers to equip themselves and adapt to current developments in the world through continuing legal education.
President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Okey Wali said continuing legal education is a lifelong learning process that is indispensable to professional growth and the individual competence of lawyers.
According to him, with the social, political and economic changes taking place in our society, there is increased demand for legal services that are responsive, innovative and effective.
He said: “I believe that continuing legal education is a vital component of legal education. Legal education does not end once a lawyer is admitted to practice law; indeed, it begins after admission to practice. It is for this reason that the NBA established the Institute of Continuing Legal Education.”
He said the institute since its inception has been organizing training programmes and workshops covering various spheres of law.
Wali emphasized that continuing legal education is more than necessary now in the country due to the annual increase in the number of practicing lawyers and other challenges in Nigeria.
He said, “the number of lawyers in the profession has been rising. So has the head count of lawyers in many law offices. We have major security challenges in parts of the country. Our economy is far more varied and competitive than it has ever been. Foreign investors are more interested in Nigeria than they have ever been.”