As part of its plan to introduce law students and young lawyers to the possibilities of scaling access to justice with technology, Ligal Aid is organizing a client counselling competition for Bar Aspirants (who completed the Bar Finals Examination in March 2021). Dubbed, Legal Aid Client Counselling and Case Management Competition, the competition will run from Tuesday, 15 June to Thursday, 17 June 2021.

The competition will be entirely virtual.

The competition will test the knowledge and ability of the participants to conduct client interviews and chart an appropriate legal path to a legal problem being faced by an indigent.

Participants will also be tested on their ability to provide legal assistance to victims and suspects unable to afford legal help. The writing skills and case management skills of the participants as teams will also be examined as participants are expected to prepare legal opinions based on the interviews they have conducted.

Ligal Aid is a platform that connects lawyers and lawyers with indigents in need of legal support. The web-based application was developed via a partnership between Open Law Innovation Network (a law/tech non-profit) and Crevatal (a technology company).

According to Open Law Innovation Network which is coordinating the competition, the competition was instituted to give the participants practical legal experience, especially as the bar aspirants never had an opportunity for a formal externship program.

Participants will:

  • Be graded on their client interview skills.
  • Get to be introduced to the challenges in the Nigerian criminal justice system;
  • Understand pro bono legal work;
  • Get to build individual networks while working with teams and under the supervision of experienced lawyers;

The preliminary round will hold on Tuesday, 15 June 2021. Twelve teams will participate in that round. Only four teams will proceed to the final which will hold on 17 June 2021. The top three teams will win financial gifts.

Also, participants in the competition, other Bar Aspirants and young lawyers will be introduced to information technology law practice through a Law/Tech class which will hold on Wednesday, 16 June 2021.

The link is below :

www.bit.ly/techlawclass