While the archetypal notion of a lawyer is that of a courtroom brawler, the Nigerian Bar Association, Abuja branch (Unity Bar) altered the narrative days ago by organising a webinar on opportunities in the academia for lawyers.
The event which had many lawyers in attendance was hosted by the Chairman of the branch, Afam Okeke, Esq. and Chaired by the influential law teacher, Professor Ernest Ojukwu, SAN. Treasurer of the branch, Chinelo Audrey Ofoegbunam was moderator.
Discussants at the webinar including the Director General of the Nigerian Law School, Prof. Isa Hayatu Chiroma, SAN, Professor Agbo Madaki, Dean of Faculty of Law, Baze University, Abuja who spent about six years lecturing in East Africa before coming back to Nigeria, and Dr. Omolola Omolade, Dean, Faculty of Law, Cavendish University, Uganda encouraged lawyers to explore opportunities in the academia.
Sharing insights on what it takes to succeed as a law teacher the law professors who pointed out that gender expertise, intellectual property law, data privacy and cybersecurity law, are some of the sectors taking centre stage added that lawyers who can serve as Law Librarians are presently in high demanded.
Participants got to learn that academia is not for the lazy and that to rise in the field, lecturers are required to publish sound academic works in reputable journals on a regular basis as well as update their knowledge of the law from time to time by attending conferences, workshops and participating in peer reviews.
