OVERCOMING CHALLENGES IN LEGAL EDUCATION

CHARTING A NEW LEAF FOR LAW TEACHERS

Abstract

The falling standard of legal education is an issue of grave concern in the Uganda and Nigerian legal climates. Today, a low quality of lawyers are turned out annually, as further exhibited in the poor lawyers' performances in courtrooms. The falling standard of legal education is a product of a shortage of qualified teachers, low-quality students and infrastructure shortage. The paper examines some concerns, challenges and successes recorded in legal education at the university and the law school. This paper further argues that permitting law teachers to undertake private practice, adopting appropriate pedagogy, removing examination malpractice, and enhancing welfare packages of Law teachers will resolve the issue of poor-quality legal education in Uganda and Nigeria. This paper adopts non-doctrinal using legislation, international statutes, newspapers, and the Internet to address the falling standard of legal education in the two countries. Against this backdrop, this paper advanced several conceptual arguments to support its views. Nevertheless, recommendations are made in this paper with a conclusion that the desire for quality legal training could be achieved through robust domestic laws and policy framework. The article recommends the paradigm shift in professionalism in the legal education, bearing in mind that Nigeria's and Uganda’s institutional salvation rest in the legal profession since the legal profession is the proud bastion of justice.