#NLSEXTERNSHIP CHALLENGE : Rejected by my Court and Chamber

I  did my court attachment in Ikeja Magistrate court 1 and was moved alongside some other externs to court 20, Ogba Magistrate court due to over population in the former.

I made sure I got to court early which is expected of a legal practitioner. Then I paid keen attention and made sure I made endorsements on at least 5 cases for my log book. 

Afterwards I just listened and watched the court proceedings, getting acquainted with the court mannerisms and the process and procedure. Ikeja was a bit stressful because there were plethora of cases on the cause list every day and the court rose late. However amidst all that, I still found a way to read. Unlike Ogba, I closed really early affording me time to read in the empty court room for hours on end before going home.

  

I also visited my magistrate in chambers and asked questions about things that I noticed in court and for some explanations. I also knew better as to separate practice from textbook law because textbook law will always have the upper hand during the Nigerian Bar Finals.

I was posted to one chamber that turned out to be non-existent at that time due to the fact that they had moved from the location which was in the database of the Nigerian Law School. After this discovery, I proceeded to the Ministry of Justice, AlausaIkeja with high hopes of being accepted. Thankfully, I and some other persons were accepted and I was shuffled from departments to departments learning new things every day. Then I got a request letter from the ministry addressed to the NBA chairman of Ikeja branch to facilitate my posting to the ministry officially for record purposes. 

One thing I’m grateful to the Ministry of Justice for was the opportunity afforded us to read. We basically worked 2hours maximum and read a great deal.

General advice for externship studies:

• Read from the very beginning

• Read each course for 2 weeks (14days) back to back. A to Z and make a file of key points while reading which will contain the laws and cases you personally want to use for any principle at any given time.

• You don’t need to know all the cases or laws. Have one for each principle and you’re good to go

• After reading for 2 weeks each which is 2 X 5 courses making 10 weeks, you have 2 weeks extra before resumption. Solve past questions vigorously and also work on your ethical dilemma, your power point presentation.

• Fill your log book every day. If you pile it up, believe you me, you will get choked by it. It might seem as if it is not a big deal. It is! Fill every day and prevent stress

• Make new friends from other campuses and discuss. Get another perspective on things that you were taught. It will come in handy later. It helped me a great deal

• DRAFT EVERY DAY. When reading a topic, draft every document relating to that topic. Have a draft book and try as much as possible to draft by heart no matter the mistakes you make. The more mistakes, the better you become. Don’t cheat yourself

• Dedicate at least 5 hours a day to your studies during externship. At least

• It is too late to start forming full notes in externship. You should be reading your already formed notes in externship

• Ask questions from seniors in court and also in chambers

• And please for the Love of God, SLEEP WELL. Don’t crash

With this, I am sure you will excel in your Bar Finals by the grace of God.

We are waiting for you at the bar. Any other questions? send a mail to ajosesamson@gmail.com.

Adeniyi  Samson Ajose