How Lawyers In Government Can Remain Relevant

Lawyers working in both
Federal and State governments have been urged to make continuing legal education a priority if they must remain up-to-date with new legal principles.
Speakers at a three-day development course for lawyers in the Delta State Ministry of Justice said lawyers in public service must regularly update skills and knowledge to remain relevant.
The Attorney-General, Mr Charles Ajuya (SAN) said the course was designed to enable participants improve their legal skills.
According to him, a well equipped counsel will not only benefit himself, but will add value to the state.
Former Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NACS) Director-General, Prof. Epiphany Azinge (SAN), who was one of the speakers, said the development course afforded him the opportunity to translate NIALS experience into practice in Delta State.
He stated that the course was designed as a capacity building programme for the participants.
Addressing participants, he said: “It is customized because it is based on ideas from you. It is a clear amalgam of all the needs of the departments and parastatals, he said.
“Therefore your understanding of the course is necessary for you to address the problems of your ministries and equip you with capacity to face the challenges of a globalised world”.
Other speakers included former Director of Public of Prosecutions in Lagos State, Mr Fol Arthur-Worrey who spoke on criminal prosecution and legal opinion writing techniques; former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) president Chief T.J Onomigbo Okpoki (SAN) spoke on case preparation and appeals, and Ken Mozia (SAN) who discussed case management and fast track litigation.
Prof. Emeka Chianu discussed Land acquisition challenges and prospects, while former chairman of NBA Ikorodu branch Nwurudee Ogbara presented Prof. Lanre Fagbohun’s paper on class action litigation and environmental law practive.
Chairman Mid-Western Bar Forum, Ferdinand Orbih (SAN) discussed new trends in the law of evidence while Prof. Azinge (SAN) discussed government legal advisers, legal writing and law reporting.
He also discussed legislative drafting and legal drafting in conjunction with Prof.  Paul Idornigie while Mr. S.V. Omekeh discussed public civil rules and application, ethics, code conduct, minutes and memo writing.
Prof. Mike Ikhariale discussed constitutional and human rights while Prof. Paul Idormigie discussed commercial agreements, A DR, Arbitration and MoU while Albert Akpomudge (SAN) discussed brief writing.