Centre for Law and Business (CLB) in collaboration with Barbri Global, the world’s premier legal education body, has pledged to help lawyers and the legal profession in the West African region gain international qualifications, to be called to Bar in New York and California and become solicitors in the UK.
The CEO of CLB, Dapo Oyewumi, who gave the pledge at a media briefing in Lagos, said the relationship would enable lawyers in Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, The Gambia and other countries to prepare within their jurisdictions for the examinations to be called to the New York Bar, the California Bar and UK Solicitor.
That, he said, would allow them to obtain cross or multiple professional qualifications.
Oyewumi added that cross or multiple professional qualifications place such lawyers on the global professional stage, affording them advantages of international opportunities and serving the needs of international clients, multinationals, multilateral organisations and more.
“Significantly and uniquely, the UK Solicitor Qualification requirements, which stipulates practical work experience will recognise and accept in-country work experience and candidates need not necessarily seek work experience abroad with UK Solicitor Firms to qualify under the programme,” he said.
Oyewumi noted that non-lawyers with a first degree can benefit from this offering and every forward-looking professional is invited to take advantage of the immense opportunity.
Oyewumi added that the CLB would be working with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in the areas that are possible to work with them.
His words: “Our society is shaped by law, our law is appreciated by lawyers and by non-lawyers. We are enhancing the knowledge of the law in society because a society that is governed by law is a good society, a society where each person respects the rights and duties of the other person is a better society and that is what the NBA is all about. So, CLB is a good friend of NBA, all our lecturers are lawyers.”
Meanwhile, in a webinar organised by CLB with the theme: “The International Lawyer: Cross professional qualifications masterclass,” a director, International Partnership at Barbri Global, Chris Jorgenson, while giving a breakdown of Barbri pedigree, noted that it has more than 55 years expertise that focuses on tech-driven preparation for lawyers with a global mindset and more than 38,000 students yearly, who they prepare for U.S. and England & Wales legal qualification assessment.
He also noted that 1,500 foreign lawyers yearly seek dual qualifications with Barbri global and they have about 1.5 million alumni, who are lawyers, judges and law students.
Jorgenson stressed that international practice is mostly based on English or U.S. law, while 60 per cent of all cross-border transactions are under English or New York laws.
On the insight of the programme and examinations, International Business Development Manager-Institutional partnerships at Barbri global, Monique Morrison, said the Barbri global portfolio has the Solicitors qualifying exam, which is a Bar exam comprising assessment for qualification in England & Wales, and extended U.S. Bar prep programme, which the qualification is in California or New York.
“There is a six-month programme, which allows students to study 20 to 30 hours per week and a 10-month programme for 10 to 15 hours per week,” she explained.
