#NLSEXTERNSHIP CHALLENGE: EXTERNSHIP IN PORT HARCOURT CITY!!!

NIGERIAN LAW SCHOOL: MY EXTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE 

The goal of Externship according to the student’s handbook is to:

1. Develop the Externs lawyering skills; 

2. Make the Externs understand various aspects of the legal system as well as the legal profession. 

3.  Inculcate in the Externs a sense of professional responsibility and values. 

4.  Develop the Externs ability to reflect on and learn from their experience.

While it is agreed that they had our best interest at the back of their mind whilst designing the externship program, the main goal of every student during the externship period is to prepare for the upcoming exams because the externship periodis the last opportunity you have to cover your entire syllabus (week 3-20) before the bar exams. Externship for me was a period to cover and understand everything I couldn’t comprehend during classes.

 So, I asked questions, engaged in conversation with people who genuinely wanted to share knowledge and not those who wanted to belittle me with the knowledge they thought they had (avoid these people- they will mess with your confidence).

For my Court placement, I was posted to Court 2, under thecounsel of Hon. Justice J.A. Akpughunum. She is one of the best judges for tutelage of law students in Port Harcourt. She encouraged counsel appearing before her to be more detailed for our (law students) learning sake and after sitting each day, she had meetings with us where we discussed each case and she threw more light on areas we found confusing. Your judge may have a different approach but whatever the pattern, whenever you have an opportunity to ask for clarification, grab it with both hands.

For chamber posting, if your chamber isn’t so active, I will advise you find an alternative. I was posted to Solomon Marega & Co and it contributed to my knowledge and preparation for the bar exams. I drafted processes and went over a number of processes that I became so familiar with drafts even before practicing them. My supervisor gave impromptu quizzes to test our knowledge and made corrections where necessary. 

If you are in Port Harcourt and you are not satisfied with your law firm, all you have to do is write a letter addressed to the NBA branch Chairman and drop it off at the NBA house which is not far from the court premises. The letter should state what is wrong with your law firm and suggest a new law firm. The law firm you are subsequently posted to is entirelyat the discretion of the NBA branch chairman.

My advice to you is to believe in yourself because you will encounter a breed of students drawn from the six different campuses and some may want to show off based on the campuses they come from, by reeling section after section of CAMA casually, trying to chip in Rules of Civil Procedure in conversations they are not even needed and quote the entire ACJA word for word. Don’t be intimidated. Remember, SMART WORK passes the bar exam.

On a final note, try to unwind. All work and no play.

Bubari Benita Agara Esq.