Commitment Towards Young Lawyers and Law Student Advancement

Wednesday, 5 July 2017

BAR FINAL:TIME OUT WITH ADEKUNLE SAHEED ABIOLA

Greetings to our fellow Bar Aspirant!!! for the next couple of weeks we have decided to upload Faith provoking post and advice from First Class Students. The aim of these posts is to build faith in you as you prepare for BAR FINALS......

P.S: This is not a religious blog but we believe in God. So irrespective of your religion, see this as an inspiring and motivating post.

  Saheed Adekunle Abiola Esq. is from Osun state. He is the first student from his university to make a first class from the Nigerian Law School. He won several awards from the pre-bar NLS, Lagos – Best in Civil Litigation, 2nd Best in Property Law Practice and Third Overall Best student. His outstanding performance made the Director of Civil Litigation NLS Lagos, Mrs Fashakin Odukoya buy him a wig and gown. While at the NLS, he participated in different activities such as the Annual Property Law Practice Debate of the NLS where he came 2nd best and NLS Lagos mock trial where he was a principal counsel  representing the state and he secured a death sentence. He has addressed, oriented and tutored hundreds of students in seminars, conferences and public lectures where he has been invited to speak as a guest speaker. He currently serves as the NYSC Legal Officer at Kings University, Ode-Omu Osun state.  He is also known as TEAM among his friends – Tutor, Editor, Author and Manager (Source@ekaetehunter.wordpress.com)

QUESTION 1
Can we meet you sir (Your name, occupation and any other information about yourself you would want us to know)

I am Adekunle Saheed Abiola Esq, legal officer Kings University, Osun State, a graduate of law Kogi State University, Anyigba and attended Nigerian Law School, Lagos Nigeria.

QUESTION 2
Sir, can you share your experience about Law School?

My experience in the NLS is similar to what I faced in the University, While, in the NLS I minimize every social activity, I go out once in a while because of the load of work at hand. Remember the tasks before class, presentations during class and the bulky texts to read before and after class. Have always had it in mind that LAW SCHOOL IS A PLACE TO BE BUT NOT TWICE, IT IS A PLACE TO COME AND GRADUATE WITH YOUR MATES AND DO NOT ATTEND BAR III (for the resit students). Due to this, I try as much as possible to do my best.

QUESTION 3
Thank you sir, can you tell us what were the Challenges you faced in law School?

Well, I did not see any part of the exercise as a challenge, the only challenge I would say I faced in the Nigerian Law School is the place to read. Surprisingly, the library was too hot for me to stay, don’t get me wrong, the NLS Lagos Library is not built for such poor maintenance (due to lack of ventilation) but for a fully AC equipped facility and the room during our time contains six (6) bunks and the implication of that is, it is six persons per room therefore, it is not also convenient for reading, Myself and a friend have to look for any available space to read (most of the time at the foyer and at times the Moot court before it gets hot in the afternoon).

QUESTION 4
At what point did you realize that you would finish with a First Class sir?

When I finished from the University as the Second Law Best Graduating Student (KSU, LAW 2014 though due to administrative errors my class did not go to NLS until NOVEMBER 2015) I knew I was expected to prove that the result I got was not a mere fluke and I could not afford anything short of a second class upper (2:1) but at a point, particularly after the Last SNAP TEST when I was awarded several prizes by the NLS LAGOS, including 3rd Best Student in the NLS LAGOS SNAP TEST 2016, I was challenged  by the NLS LAGOS Head of Campus (Mrs Toun Adebiyi) and  CIVIL LITIGATION LECTURER to make a first class, my response was amen and God did it. Though, have always prayed and worked for a first class result but the fact is, it also has a God factor in it

QUESTION 5
Share your Externship experience with us

I did my externship at KWARA STATE HIGH COURT ILORIN AND YUSUF ALI SAN & CO, ILORIN in both places I ensure I realize the objectives of NLS externship programme. My court is not always busy so, I go to other courts to build and widen my horizon.
In the Chamber, our principal is a very busy lawyer who intimates us on latest development in law and have discussions with us on the certain areas of law which the practice are not clear to us. We go through old files when we are less busy and lecture ourselves on technical areas of law taught in the NLS.

QUESTION 6
How were you able to balance between Externship and reading sir?

Well, I have covered about 60% of my reading before externship, though the fact is you can never cover everything before bar finals, I drew a time-table which I strictly follow and my reading during the externship program was majorly in the evening though, we had lots of academic discussion base on the law school syllabus and funny enough I was the only extern from the NLS LAGOS, this made me to learn a lot from my colleagues from other campuses.

QUESTION 7
How was your portfolio assessment?

It was excellent. Assessment is based on what you present to your assessors. For instance, you may be asked to announce your appearance before them? So, they ask you cheap questions, DO NOT DO TILL DAY BREAK READING OF YOUR LOG BOOK BEFORE YOU FACE YOUR ASSESSORS, they are humans like us.

QUESTION 8
Please what is ethical dilemma? And how do we write it sir?

I wrote about a lawyer who is in a dilemma as to whether to partner with a non-lawyer and share his income with the non-lawyer because the non-lawyer is ready to sponsor the lawyer in establishing his law firm and build his client base? See Rs 3(1)(C), 4 and 5

QUESTION 9
How did you overcome the Fear of BAR FINAL?

Well, it is natural to be afraid of the Bar final exams though, the truth is BAR FINAL IS NOT DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER EXAM YOU HAVE WRITTEN, but due to the way it is being taught and examined it seems different a bit. I overcome the fear of Bar final with hard work and prayers. Though, the fear did not go totally until after the second paper because at this time I have come to realize that BAR FINALS ARE NOT SET FROM HEAVEN.

QUESTION 10
What will be your advice to bar aspirant in preparing for Bar Final

SERIOUSNESS, HARDWORKING, PRAYERS AND CLASS ATTENDANCE (VERY COMPULSORY) since Bar finals are not set from heaven these factors will help you conquer it particularly attending classes.

QUESTION 11
How is Life after Law School?

It is good to be a lawyer; life after law school has been awesome.

QUESTION 12
Your final words for the Bar Aspirant…

BE DETERMINED, BECAUSE WHEREVER DETERMINATION EXISTS, THERE CANNOT BE FAILURE.

                                              THANK YOU SIR!!!!!

I believe that Faith is building on your inside and Fear is packing its loads.

we love here @Group4-LegaLHub and we are praying for you.......Do Not Give Up.


0 comments:

Post a Comment