PORTFOLIO PRESENTATION

MADE IN FULFILMENT OF
THE BAR PART II NIGERIAN
LAW SCHOOL PROGRAMME
CONTENTS
➢ Introduction
➢ Goals of Externship Programme
➢ Attendance of Externship Programme
➢ Court Attachment Details
➢ Law Firm Placement Details
➢ Highlights of Essay on Ethical Dilemma
➢ Highlights of Law Office Management
➢ Challenges
➢ Conclusion/Recommendation
 INTRODUCTION
PRESENTATION BY

IHEANACHO NELSON SOMTOCHUKWU

REG NO: 859

NIGERIAN LAW SCHOOL ABUJA

CAMPUS
 GOALS OF THE EXTERNSHIP PROGRAMME
▪ Development of the externs ▪ Inculcate in the externs a sense
lawyering skills. of professional responsibility
and values.

▪ Making the externs to

understand various aspects ▪ Develop the externs ability to
of the legal system as well reflect on and learn from their
as the legal profession. experience.
 DETAILS OF ATTENDANCE
COURT ATTACHMENT
➢ Duration: MARCH 7th - APRIL I5TH 2022
➢ Date(s) absent in court: 6th and 7th April, 2022 (ill health)

CHAMBER ATTACHMENT
➢APRIL 25TH - MAY 27TH 2022
➢Date absent in office: Nil
 COURT ATTACHMENT
Outline
➢ Court and Judge’s Name
➢ Layout and Evaluation
➢ Court Activities
➢ Remarks
➢ Conclusion
 INTRODUCTION OF COURT

➢ Court Of Posting: Court 5 Senior Magistrate

Court, Wuse Magisterial District, Abuja.
➢ Court presided by: Hon. C.U. Nweke
➢ Court Address: 21 Mambolo St, Wuse Zone
II, Abuja.
➢ Field Supervisor: Hon. C.U. Nweke
LAYOUT AND EVALUATION OF THE COURT
The following issues describe the Court of attachment:

➢ Very serene and convenient Location for accessibility;

➢ Medium sized and improperly aerated courtroom with
no air conditioner;
➢ Very limited number of seats; and
➢ Lack of constant power supply, but with a generator to
back up.
 I observed and participated in the following
COURT activities in my Court of attachment:
➢ Civil and Criminal cases
ACTIVITIES ➢Announcing of appearances
➢Arraignment; bail application and
amendment of charges after plea
➢Moving motions, amendment and ruling on
motion
➢Practical examination-in-chief, cross-
examination and re-examination of
witnesses
➢Report of Settlement
➢Delivering of Judgement
➢Default Judgements
➢Regular Meetings with the Judge
➢Assignments
 OBSERVATIONS AND REMARKS

➢ Court usually sits latest ➢ Court is neat but not properly ventilated
9:15AM daily

➢ Cases were mentioned ➢ The court lacks a public address system

according to their order in and proceedings were audible.
the cause list except when
mentioned in the order of
seniority or upon seeking
the permission of the bar
 LAW OFFICE
ATTACHMENT
Outline
❖ Firm's name
❖ Layout and
Evaluation
❖ Firm's Activities
❖ Remarks
❖ Conclusion
LAW OFFICE
NAME OF OFFICE: Kanu G. Agabi (CON), SAN
& Associates
ADDRESS: Trinity House, Mabushi-Abuja
NATURE OF PRACTICE: Associateship
NAME OF FIELD SUPERVISOR: Chika Odoemene Esq.
SUPPORT STAFF: Secretary, Receptionist, Cooks, Drivers,
Cleaners and Librarian.
LAYOUT AND SETTINGS

The layout and settings of the law firm is best described

by the following:
➢Large-size Office;
➢A purpose built building;
➢Offices for Associates and Senior Lawyers, offices for trainee
solicitors, office for head of chambers and practice assistant,
1 conference room, lobby, Secretary’s Office;
➢ Well equipped library, updated Law reports
 CHAMBER
ACTIVITIES
In the course of my chamber
attachment, I participated in the
following activities:

➢ Legal drafting e.g. letters, motions and

affidavit, Notice to quit, Statement of
claim;
➢ Observations of case reviews, legal
research.
➢ Practice Area talks by Lawyers
➢ Tutorials
➢ Attendance of Court Session
➢ Presentations
 REMARKS
➢A conducive working ➢Educative case reviews
environment
➢Friendly and
➢Welcoming office policy knowledgeable lawyers
➢Useful interactive
sessions
HIGHLIGHTS OF The core details discussed in the essay are as
follows:
THE ESSAY ➢ An interrogation of the concept of “ethical
WRITTEN ON dilemma”
ETHICAL
DILEMMA ➢ The ethical dilemma faced by Mr. Meji Meji
Esq. in relation to sharing his professional
fees with Mr. Oloni-Money on one hand or
receiving cash transfer beyond the money
laundering limit and not alerting the relevant
authorities and taking instructions at the
house of Chief OluNavas.

➢ A lawyer shall not share legal fees with a

non-lawyer. Rule 3 (C) of the Rules of
Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners
(RPC) 2007
HIGHLIGHTS OF ➢ A lawyer must not disclose confidential inform
ation given by a client in the normal cause of
THE ESSAY his employment, unless such information is
WRITTEN ON to prevent the commission of a crime. Rule 1
ETHICAL 9 (1) and (3) of the of the RPC 2007.

DILEMMA ➢ Can the above duty be breached where client

launders money to the knowledge of the
lawyer? Sections 2(1), 6, 7 and 25 of the
Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011; C
BN v. Registered Trustees of the Nigerian
Bar Association & Anor.

➢ A lawyer must not take instructions from a

client’s house unless in exceptional cases.
Rule 22 of the RPC.
 HIGHLIGHTS The key details discussed in the Law Office Management
Essay are as follows:
ON ESSAY
❖ The Name, establishment details and address of the firm;
WRITTEN ON
❖ The name and post-call experience of Principal Partner;
LAW OFFICE
❖ The nature of practice employed by the firm and practice
MANAGEMENT areas;
❖Office layout and infrastructure;

❖ The firm as a modern law firm operating with

technologically advanced equipment;
❖ The objectives and guiding principles of the law firm; and
❖The role played by the lawyers and non-lawyers in my
exhilarating externship experience.
CHALLENGES
➢ Long hand writing of Judge makes
proceedings longer;

➢ The court had a limited number of

seats and externs had to stand through
proceedings;

➢ Adjournment of cases;

➢ Non-involvement of externs at the

law firm in client counselling and
billing.
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATIONS
The externship was indeed educative and is a
commendable part of Nigerian Law School
program.

However, certain improvements can be

made:
➢ Ascertainment of functionality of firms
externs are posted to;
➢ Encouraging firms to incentivize the
program.