Getting Admission Into Nigerian Law School

The Council of Legal Education (CLE) is the only body entitled or legally empowered to prescribe conditions or additional pre-conditions for admission into the Nigerian Law School. Section 1 (1) of the Legal Education (Consolidation) Act, 1976 establishes the CLE (Council of Legal Education) as a body corporate”with perpetual succession and a common seal.” Section 1 (2) then provides that it (the CLE) “shall have responsibility for the legal education of persons seeking to become members of the legal profession” in Nigeria. Note also that the CLE has the responsibility of continuing legal education in Nigeria (under section 3). The Nigerian Lawschool is the final coaching ground for all who intends to be a lawyer before they are finally called to the bar. All over the world the legal profession is widely seen and regarded as one of the noblest profession in the history of mankind. Law being one of the most dignifying and prestigious course to study in the world alongside with Medicine and Engineering most parents secretly or openly wants to have one in the family. As the saying goes “Nothing good comes easy”, so it is in wanting to be a lawyer. To qualify as one in Nigeria, you must first of all obtain a law degree which must take you five years or more depending on certain factors like internal or external strikes or crisis seen in most higher institution in Nigeria. Then when you are done with the battle, you will have to be admitted into the Nigerian Law School (NLS), which comprises of 6 campuses, namely: Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Kano ,Bayelsa, and Yola. All these campuses are headed by the Deputy Director-Generals. The NLS grades her students final performance using first class, second class, pass, conditional pass and fail. The method of grading is of very peculiar in nature, in the sense that a student is graded based on his/her lowest grade in any of the courses. This simply means that if a student takes 5 courses and gets 4 As and 1C, such student automatically gets a pass grade regardless of the other As he had in other courses. NLS, is of two parts , the Bar part 1, which is designed for those who obtained their law degrees abroad (ie foreign students), the following courses are offered in this part 1;Nigerian Legal System, Nigerian Land Law, Constitutional Law and Criminal Law. While the Bar Part II is made for both the local and foreign students. The Bar Part 1 comes before the Bar Part II. Courses for Bar part II include: Civil Procedure Law, Company Law and Commercial Practice, Law Office Management and General paper, Professional Ethics, Drafting and Conveyancing and Legal Practitioners Account. The NLS requires much preparations, determination, focus and dedication for you to scale through. It is not a place of jamboree. Especially if you want to be hired by a top law firm, you must strive to come out with a good grade like first class or second class. Though most law firm are not after the grade, all they are interested is for you to be called to the Bar, the choice is yours. As a law student who wants to excel in law school, you must keep to this CODE OF CONDUCT The Legal Profession is an honorable profession and all who belong or aspire to it must exhibit that trait and strength of character. Good character is most crucial for admission to the Law School and subsequently to the Bar. The Council of Legal Education, conscious of its responsibility for the Legal Education of persons seeking to become members of the Legal Profession, and in conjunction with the Body of Benchers, responsible for regulating the practice of the in Nigeria i.e. to train for the profession disciplined gentlemen of honour, approved a code of conduct for the information and compliance of Law Students who intend to seek admission into the Nigerian Law School, qualify for the Bar, and subsequently enroll as Legal Practitioners in Nigeria. 1.0 A Law Student must be honest and of good behavior. He/She should be a responsible and reliable person. 2.0 DRESSING: All students must be well dressed at all times in Regulation Wear. 3.0 MALE: Dark suit, white shirt, black tie (not bow tie), white breast pocket handkerchief, black socks and black shoes (Sandals are not allowed). During hot weather, male students may be permitted to wear white long sleeve shirts with black tie, black trousers (charcoal grey may be allowed) and black shoes to class. 4.0 FEMALE: Dark gown or dark suit, white blouse, black skirt covering the knees and black covered shoes. (Sandals are not allowed) There should be no embroidery and or trimmings of any type on the gown, suit or blouse; and only moderate jewelry should be worn- (No large dangling or coloured earrings, or bracelets are allowed). Also, glitters or colouring of any type in the hair is prohibited. During hot weather, female students may be permitted to wear white translucent blouses (not tee-shirt), black skirts covering the knee (charcoal grey may be permitted) and black covered shoes to the class. 5.0 ALL Gowns and Skirts – (a) Must be graceful, but not cling provocatively to the body; (b) Must not be above the knee; and (c) Must not have high slits (i.e. above the knee) 6.0 ALL Blouses or Shirts – (a) Must be graceful, but not cling provocatively to the body; (b) Must not expose sensitive parts of the body i.e. it must not expose your cleavage, upper arm stomach and/or navel. • The above mode of dress is mandatory for both male and female Students for attending lectures and other extra Curricula activities, and for attendance at Magistrate Courts and all Superior Courts. 7.0 ATTENDANCE AT LAW SCHOOL: Attendance at Lectures and other programmes of the school is compulsory. All lecture Attendance is taken using the THUMB PRINT DEVICES placed at both entrances of the Auditorium. The Morning Attendance is from 7.00a.m. – 9.00 a.m., while the Afternoon Attendance is immediately after the last lecture for the day. 8.0 PUNCTUALITY: Students must be punctual for Lectures which start by 9.00a.m. All students are expected to thumb print before entering the Lecture Hall in the morning and also at the end of the last lecture for the day. In case a student has to be absent from school, a written application with necessary evidence stating the reason and number of days to be away from school should be forwarded to management, and approval must be secured before proceeding. Applications submitted after proceeding on leave will not be attended to, except emergency ca cases, and the application must be accompanied with a Medical Report. 9.0 LECTURE HALLS: All students must enter and leave the Lecture Halls/Auditorium by the main door. Smoking, Eating and Drinking of any kind are strictly prohibited in the Auditorium and other Lecture Halls. 10.0 MOBILE PHONES: Use of GSM and other Mobile Phones are not allowed in the Auditorium, Lecture Halls, Library, at Dinners and at all other formal events. Phones used in these places will be confiscated. 11.0 DECORUM: This must be adhered to at all times, even when in disagreement with a staff or colleague. 12.0 LAW DINNERS: Students must be punctual for Law Dinners and must be in Regulation Wear and observe table manners. 13.0 MATERNITY LEAVE The school does not grant any type/form of Maternity leave, whether it is Ante natal, delivery or Post natal as contained in your Admission Letter and Students Prospectus. In consequence, any student that chooses to be pregnant in the course of the School Year, is not eligible for Maternity Leave. 14.0 EXCURSIONS OR VISITS: No student or group of students is/are allowed to invite any outsider (individual, government, company, group etc) into the school premises for talks, Seminars lectures, Symposium etc., or pay a courtesy visit to any individual, government, company, groups etc without prior approval from the school authority. Any student or group of students that act in violation of the above may be expelled from school. NOTE (1) The Law School Programme is full time and as such, students must not engage in any form of employment or other occupation during their course of study at the Nigerian Law School. This includes periods of interval holidays and during the Externship Programme. Penalty for this is outright termination of studentship. (2) Please note that there is a compulsory Biometric Data Capturing exercise for all Students. During this exercise, all your facial features, including your ears must be exposed for capturing. This is also applicable to all our female Muslim Students wearing the Hijab. (3) All complaints should be channeled to any of the following offices for necessary action: * Deputy Director General’s Office; * Director of Administration’s Office; or * Students Affairs Office (4) Matters of great concern and/or those considered of benefit to the system may be forwarded in writing to the Deputy Director General or Director of Administration, when they are not available to grant immediate audience


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