University Of Abuja Law Clinic

The University of Abuja Law Clinic was founded in 2008 under the Clinical Legal Education (CLE) Programme, after the University’s participated in and won the 3rd National Client Interviewing and Counseling Competition organised by NULAI in 2007. The University represented the country and came fourth in the international edition of the competition which held at Bangalore, India in April, 2008. The Clinic is set up primarily to bridge the existent gap between law students and practical knowledge of the legal profession. Through the Clinic, students gain first-hand knowledge by actively participating in real life cases. The Clinic further exposes students to new areas of law, life skills and values that enable them have a successful legal career. Through the clinical programme, and support from our partners such as NULAI, which is the umbrella body promoting Clinical Legal Education in Nigeria, we provide legal aid services to indigent members of the society who have been unjustly incarcerated or have no or inadequate legal representation. Consequently, we promote human rights and access to justice for all. TEACHING COMPONENT Under the approved CLE Curriculum, Clinicians are expected to offer Legal Practice (LP) course in their 400 level and 500 level. The outline of the course is designed to contain the basic skills required of a lawyer such as; writing, research, client interviewing and counselling skills, etc., whilst impacting them with the ethics and values of the legal profession. Interestingly, lecturers of the course adopt a friendly, practical and engaging manner to pass knowledge. SERVICE COMPONENT The Law Clinic is the service component of the CLE programme. Through the Clinic, students gain practical knowledge of all they are taught in class. It exposes them to the real face of law and enables them to experience first-hand the crucial role played by the law in social change and development.