APPRAISAL OF THE ROLE OF CLINICAL LEGAL EDUCATION IN PROMOTING ACCESS TO JUSTICE IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT Clinical Legal Education (CLE) is an experiential learning process of teaching law that was introduced with the major aim of producing lawyers with community consciousness, ethical skills and competence to handle legal issues in accordance with the global best practice. This research examined the role of CLE in promoting access to justice in Nigeria by analyzing the activities of Law Clinics and the Clinicians to see how they are helpful to the society and the law students aspiring to becoming lawyers in line with global best practice. The research relates experiences of law students in projects such as social justice and public interest lawyering which cover Prison/pre-trial detainee’s project, Community outreach/street law, the Stop Torture Project, Freedom of Information Act Projects and client interview and counselling among other activities of Law Clinics. The focal point of this project is to indicate how experiential learning of law students through Clinical Legal Education (CLE) can promote Access to justice in Nigeria with specific reference to inculcation of ethics, promoting social justice/public lawyering and promoting justice education by the future lawyers. Finally, to examine how CLE can inculcate the habit of rendering free legal service by students to indigent members of the society. The research used doctrinal and teleological methods of research. The findings of the research includes Insufficient Ethical Curriculum for Teaching Law Courses in the Universities. There are need justice stakeholders to take part in social justice and public interest lawyering example; professional responsibility and ethics in prison pre-trial detainee’s projects. A call on Nigerian government to add more emphasis on community outreach/street law project, benefit of community outreach/street law project and freedom of information Act project. The research finally recommended the Integration of Ethical Curriculum for Teaching Law Courses in the Universities. Justice’s stakeholders to take part in social justice and public interest lawyering example; professional responsibility and ethics in prison pre-trial detainee’s projects. The research recommend a call on Nigerian government to add more emphasis on community outreach/street law project, benefit of community outreach/street law project and freedom of information Act project.