Day 9: Special session for graduates

DAY 10: Special session

DATE: March 14, 2024

MODERATOR: Iboro Akpan

TIME: 5PM

SPEAKER: Francis Udoh

Biography of the speaker

Francis Udoh is an enthusiastic and value-driven young lawyer propelled by a keen passion for excellence anchored in exceptionality.

As a graduate of the University of Uyo, Francis obtained his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree as the Best Graduating Student of his class. He afterwards went on to the Nigerian Law School to obtain his Bachelor at Law (BL) degree with a first-class result.

Owing to his passion for humanitarianism and his interest in social change, Francis is a young SDG advocate. He has also taken to volunteering for humanitarian causes over time.

Francis has played significant roles in campaigns against social ills, including child labour, female genital mutilation, and campaigns for quality primary ducation. He worked with Humanity Voice and Empowerment Foundation, an NGO that regularly executes humanitarian and charitable projects as well as provides community services. One of such notable projects is Project Educate of November 2020, which involved the building and administration of an educational facility for the Edonwik community of Eastern Obolo Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.

Francis is open to opportunities that would enable him to enhance his knowledge and acquire skills, experience, and certifications (especially those relevant to his career pursuit).

LAW SCHOOL "EXPO"

It's very common for people to think that life in law school is very difficult because of the stories they have heard. There are certain things you need to do to thrive there:

• You just need to change your mindset; if you believe that law school is difficult even without experiencing it, you should also be able to believe that it's easy even without experiencing it.

• For you to make the best out of your academic pursuit, you have to start every semester with a pre-academic plan; you should write down your expected grade for each course even before the semester begins, and work towards it.

• Do what works for you. If you discover that a particular method is no longer working for you, go back to the 'drawing board' and change your method.

• Excellence is not accidental!

• Prepare your mind- you need to have a sound mind inorder to handle the stress in the Nigerian Law School.

• Master the art of time management.

• Law school is a place where you'll need to do repetitive study and constant memorizing.

• Read till you can read no more!

• Understand the importance of rest.

• In law school, what you're taught is the grundnorm (the highest authority), whether the lecturer is right or wrong.

• Law school is not really a place where you read and over-read (textbooks might be a form of distraction).

• You should be able to reproduce what you've been taught the way Law School wants it.

• Hardwork is very important- nothing can take the place of hardwork in achieving excellence.

• Smart work is equally important. Smart work is doing what is required of you in the best possible way with less stress.

• Be disciplined: there are days when you wouldn't have the motivation to read, that's where discipline takes over. Discipline is one of those factors that bring about excellence.

• For you to achieve excellence, you have to surround yourself with like-minded people; people that will keep you on track.

• Appreciate excellence when you see it.

• When you're posted to a campus that you don't like, the first thing to do is to accept that campus with their methods, and find a way to adapt.

• Your campus does not determine what grade you come out with. YOU determine what grade you come out with.

• Mentorship is very important, you need someone to guide you through law school. Get someone who has the proper experience to guide you through (this is part of working smart).

• You must maintain your principles; set your goals and go after it (that doesn't mean you should be anti-social).

• In the Nigerian Law School, the only way to learn your drafts is to write them repeatedly.

• Develop a routine for yourself.

• Be flexible: sometimes your conventional ways might not work for you (for example, if you're someone that likes studying alone, at some points, you will definitely need others. Don't be a one-man squad).

Q&A

Q: What does externship entail?

A: Externship is a 3-month period immediately preceding the second semester. During this period, students are released from school inorder to have real life experiences of courtroom practices both in a court (for 3 weeks) and in a law firm (for another 3 weeks).

During this period, they go to the court/law firm everyday, learn as much as they can and report directly to the judge assigned to them.

The students don't get to choose where they will do their externship, all they need to do is to fill a form with the area/Local Government they would love to intern in, and a place will be chosen for them.

It is important to maximize the externship period to the fullest as it is the only period when one a student can study as much as he/she wants.