PORTFOLIO

PRESENTATION
Presentation made in fulfillment of the externship program of the Bar Part II Examinations of
the Nigerian Law School
CONTENTS

 INTRODUCTION
 GOALS OF THE EXTERNSHIP PROGRAMME
 PLACEMENT DETAILS
 CHALLENGES
 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE ESSAY ON ‘AN ETHICAL DILEMMA’
 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE ESSAY ON ‘LAW OFFICE MANAGEMENT’
 ACTIVITIES PARTICIPATED
 SKILLS ACQUIRED
 CONCLUSION
INTRODUCTION

 NAME: OSOBUKOLA FIYINFOLUWA ETSEOGHENA

 REG NO: 286
 CAMPUS: KANO
GOALS OF THE EXTERNSHIP
PROGRAMME
 TO DEVELOP EXTERNS ABILITY TO REFLECT AND LEARN FROM EXPERIENCE
 TO DEVELOP EXTERNS LAWYERING SKILLS
 MAKING EXTERNS UNDERSTAND THE LEGAL SYSYTEM AND LEGAL
PROFESSION.
 TO INCULCATE IN EXTERNS A SENSE OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
AND VALUES
PLACEMENT DETAILS
 COURT PLACEMENT
• NAME: HIGH COURT OF LAGOS
STATE, IKEJA
• ADDRESS: HIGH COURT PREMISES,
IKEJA
• NAME OF JUDGE AND FIELD
SUPERVISOR: JUSTICE O. OGALA
• DURATION: 7th March 2022- 15th April
2022 (6 WEEKS)
• DATE ABSENT: NIL (EXCEPT ON
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS)
 LAW FIRM PLACEMENT
• NAME: OGUNSANYA & OGUNSANYA
• ADDRESS: 11, ULE ADEBAYO, AHMED
ONIBUDO, VICTORIA ISLAND, LAGOS.
• NAME OF PRINCIPAL: ADEWUNMI
OGUNSANYA, SAN &MRS. JOKOTADE
AGBAJE
• NAME OF SUPERVISOR: MR. RICHARD
ADAMA
• DURATION: 25th April 2022- 27th May 2022
(5 WEEKS)
• DATES ABSENT: NIL (EXCEPT ON
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS)
HIGHLIGHTS OF COURT PLACEMENT

 I WAS PLACED AT THE STATE HIGH COURT, IKEJA (COURT 29) WHICH WAS
PRESIDED OVER BY HON. JUSTICE O. OGALA.
 THE COURT IS LOCATED WITHIN THE COMPOUND OF THE STATE HIGH COURT,
IKEJA
 ATTACHED TO THE COURT ARE TWO LEGAL RESEARCH ASSISTANTS.
 THE COURT HAS A REGISTRAR, COURT CLERK, AN ORDERLY AND OTHER
OFFICERS OF COURT.
 I WITNESSED PROCEEDINGS RELATING TO CRIMINAL, CIVIL AND LAND DISPUTES.
 THE JUDGE HAD REGULAR INTERACTIVE SESSIONS WITH THE EXTERNS
 JUDGE ORGANISED MOCK TRIAL TO TEST OUR KNOWLEDGE ON ALL WE LEARNT
IN COURT
ACTIVITIES OBSERVED

 DELIVERING OF JUDGMENTS
 ANNOUNCING APPEARANCES
 ARRAIGNMENT AND PLEA TAKING
 EXAMINATION AND CROSS EXAMINATION OF WITNESSES
 MOVING OF MOTIONS AND ORAL APPLICATIONS
 ADOPTION OF WRITTEN ADDRESS
 TENDERING OF DOCUMENTS
 VIRTUAL PROCEEDING
 APPLICATION FOR BAIL
 REPORT OF TERMS OF SETTLEMENT
 MOTION FOR EXTENSION OF TIME
SKILLS LEARNT

 COURTROOM DECORUM
 TENDERING OF DOCUMENTS
 HOW TO MOVE A MOTION
 HOW TO ANNOUNCE APPEARANCE
 EXAMINATION-IN-CHIEF AND CROSS EXAMINATION
CHALLENGES

 UNAVAILABILITY OF WITNESSES: THEREBY ALLOWING THE CASE TO DRAG

FOR A LONG TIME
 RECORDING OF PROCEEDINGS IN LONGHAND: DELAYS PROCEEDINGS,
CROSS EXAMINATION ESPECIALLY
 CONGESTED COURTROOM: ESPECIALLY WHEN A LOT OF DEFENDANTS AND
PRISONERS ARE IN COURT.
HIGHLIGHT OF LAW FIRM PLACEMENT

 I WAS PLACED AT OGUNSANYA & OGUNSANYA.

 THE FIRM WAS FOUNDED IN 1956, BY TWO BROTHERS ONE OF WHOM WAS A ENGLISH-
TRAINED LAWYER CALLED TO BAR AT GRAY’S INN IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.
 IT IS A PARTNERSHIP FIRM AND IT IS A CORE LITIGATION FIRM PRESENTLY ACTIVE IN
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, ENTERTAINMENT AND MEDIA LAW.
 GOOD OFFICE SPACE AND MODERN INFRASTRUCTURE
 THE PRINCIPAL PARTNER IS A SENIOR ADVOCATE OF NIGERIA
 THE HEAD OF CHAMBERS IS ALSO A SENIOR ADVOCATE OF NIGERIA
 LAWYERS IN THE FIRM KEEP A DIARY TO RECORD DATES IN WHICH THEY ARE TO BE
IN COURT
 IT HAS A WELL EQUIPPED, ORGANISED AND UP-TO-DATE LIBRARY.
EXTERNS ACTIVITIES

 TUTORIAL SESSIONS WITH MY FIELD SUPERVISOR AND OTHER LAWYERS

 LEGAL RESEARCH
 OBSERVING COURT PROCEEDINGS WITH COUNSEL
 DRAFTING OF VARIOUS PROCESSES
 REVIEWING OF LEGAL DOCUMENTS
 MOCK TEST
 INDIVIDUAL STUDY
SKILLS LEARNT

 DRAFTING SKILLS
 ADVOCACY SKILLS
 RESEARCH SKILLS
 DECLARATION OF APPEARANCES
 MOVING OF MOTIONS AND APPLICATIONS
CHALLENGES

 HIGH COST OF TRANSPORTATION AND FEEDING

 DIFFICULTY IN GETTING THE LAW FIRM ALLOW EXTERNS GET COPIES OF
CERTAIN DOCUMENTS FOR OUR PORFOLIO ASSESSMENT BECAUSE OF THE
NON- DISCLOSURSE AGREEMENT SIGNED BY THE FIRM.
 THE DICHOTOMY BETWEEN PRACTICE AND WHAT WE WERE TAUGHT IN LAW
SCHOOL
 MOST OF THE CASES HANDLED BY THE FIRM WERE OUTSIDE JURISDICTION,
CONSEQUENTLY WE COULD NOT WITNESS SUCH PROCEEDINGS.
REFLECTION ON ETHICAL DILEMMA

 ENGAGEMENT IN BUSINESS- RULE 7 RPC

 CALLING AT CLIENT’S HOUSE OR PLACE OF BUSINESS- RULE 22 RPC
HIGHLIGHT OF THE ESSAY ON LAW
OFFICE MANAGEMENT
 MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION OF THE LAW OFFICE FIRM AS A
PARTNERSHIP.
 LITIGATION AS THE MAJOR AREA OF THE FIRM’S PRACTICE.
 DELEGATION OF DUTIES TO LAWYERS AND SUPPORT STAFF
 WEEKLY SCHEDULE FOR LAWYERS AND EXTERNS
 RECORD KEEPING AND FILING SYSTEM
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

 THE PROGRAMME WAS A GREAT LEARNING EXPERIENCE THAT AFFORDS THE

OPPORTUNITY OF COMBINING WHAT WAS LEARNT IN SCHOOL WITH WHAT IS
OBTAINABLE IN PRACTICE.
 IT HAS INSTILLED IN ME A SENSE OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE COURTROOM
 THE PROGRAMME IS HIGH COMMENDABLE AND SHOULD BE CONTINUED
 HOWEVER, THEY SHOULD UPDATE THEIR DIRECTORY, THIS WOULD DO
AWAY WITH THE POSTING AND RE-POSTINGS THAT MOST EXTERNS HAVE TO
DEAL WITH ON ONE HAND AND THE STRESS THIS PLACES ON THE
COORDINATORS OF THE EXTERNSHIP PROGRAMMES IN RESPECTIVE NLS
ZONES.
THANK YOU!