3 answers
Rose
Student
Lagos, Nigeria
1
Question
Asked
977 views
How do I become a lawyer Starting from the university what course should I go for and what degree should I acquire ?
How do I become a lawyer
Starting from the university what course should I go for and what degree should I acquire
Login to comment
3 answers
Karin P.
Lecturer, Academic Advisor, Career Coach
1091
Answers
Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
Updated
Karin’s Answer
Hi Rose,
If you want to become a lawyer in Nigeria, you need to enroll in an LLB program in university. It's a 5-year program that includes 12 compulsory courses (Legal Methods, Nigerian Legal System, Contract Law, Torts Law, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Company Law, Land Law, Equity and Trusts, Commercial Law, Law of Evidence, and Public International Law). Alternatively, you can also study in the UK if you wish. They follow the same system. You need to make sure to cover the compulsory courses content though.
Some of the universities with LLB programs in Nigeria:
University of Ibadan - https://law.ui.edu.ng/
University of Nigeria Enugu Campus - https://law.unn.edu.ng/
Obafemi Awolowo University - https://oauife.edu.ng/faculty-of-law/
University of Lagos - https://law.unilag.edu.ng/
If you get your LLB in Nigeria, you then need to enroll in Bar Part II at the Nigerian Law school to prepare you for the bar exam. If you get your LLB in the UK, you need to enroll in Bar Part I and II. You will also do 2 internships in a law firm and in a court.
Finally, you take the bar exam and if you pass, you'll be called to the bar and go to the Supreme Court of Nigeria to be enrolled in the Roll of Legal Practitioners.
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
https://lawpadi.com/how-to-become-a-lawyer-in-nigeria/
https://edurank.org/liberal-arts/law/ng/
https://www.lawschool.gov.ng/
If you want to become a lawyer in Nigeria, you need to enroll in an LLB program in university. It's a 5-year program that includes 12 compulsory courses (Legal Methods, Nigerian Legal System, Contract Law, Torts Law, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Company Law, Land Law, Equity and Trusts, Commercial Law, Law of Evidence, and Public International Law). Alternatively, you can also study in the UK if you wish. They follow the same system. You need to make sure to cover the compulsory courses content though.
Some of the universities with LLB programs in Nigeria:
University of Ibadan - https://law.ui.edu.ng/
University of Nigeria Enugu Campus - https://law.unn.edu.ng/
Obafemi Awolowo University - https://oauife.edu.ng/faculty-of-law/
University of Lagos - https://law.unilag.edu.ng/
If you get your LLB in Nigeria, you then need to enroll in Bar Part II at the Nigerian Law school to prepare you for the bar exam. If you get your LLB in the UK, you need to enroll in Bar Part I and II. You will also do 2 internships in a law firm and in a court.
Finally, you take the bar exam and if you pass, you'll be called to the bar and go to the Supreme Court of Nigeria to be enrolled in the Roll of Legal Practitioners.
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
Karin recommends the following next steps:
DENNIS BREEN
Lawyer
228
Answers
Cary, North Carolina
Updated
DENNIS’s Answer
Hi Rose: The key to being a good lawyer is being a good person. Lawyers come from all backgrounds. A friend of mine loved planes so he became an aviation lawyer.
In University take courses you are interested in and will help you grow as a person. As a lawyer you do a lot of writing and arguing. Courses in those subjects help. However, if you like environmental studies take those classes - they will help you as a lawyer. Rose, you clearly care about your future and in helping others. Trust me - you are already on the right path!
As I am sitting here I am thinking of several friends who are lawyers and their courses. One has a business degree from Harvard; three have a political science degree from SUNY ; a sports management degree from OSU; an English degree. They are all happy successful lawyers. So Rose, go to University and study the things you like - they will make you a terrific lawyer! Good luck!!
In University take courses you are interested in and will help you grow as a person. As a lawyer you do a lot of writing and arguing. Courses in those subjects help. However, if you like environmental studies take those classes - they will help you as a lawyer. Rose, you clearly care about your future and in helping others. Trust me - you are already on the right path!
As I am sitting here I am thinking of several friends who are lawyers and their courses. One has a business degree from Harvard; three have a political science degree from SUNY ; a sports management degree from OSU; an English degree. They are all happy successful lawyers. So Rose, go to University and study the things you like - they will make you a terrific lawyer! Good luck!!
Ileana Rivera, Esq.
Lawyer
2
Answers
Orlando, Florida
Updated
Ileana’s Answer
In the United States, the process to become a lawyer is structured but flexible:
1. Bachelor’s Degree (4 years)
• You can study any major (law schools do not require a specific one).
• Many students choose areas like Political Science, History, English, Business, or Criminal Justice because they help develop strong writing, research, and critical thinking skills.
• The most important thing is to keep your GPA high and strengthen your analytical skills.
2. LSAT (Law School Admission Test)
• After or near the end of your bachelor’s, you take the LSAT.
• This standardized exam tests logical reasoning, reading comprehension, and critical thinking. Your score is very important for admission.
3. Law School (3 years, Juris Doctor – JD)
• You apply to law schools accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA).
• Law school takes three years full-time. You’ll study contracts, constitutional law, criminal law, civil procedure, immigration law (if offered), and more.
• You may specialize through electives, clinics, or internships (for example, in immigration or asylum law).
4. Bar Exam
• After graduating, you must pass the bar exam in the state where you want to practice law.
• This test qualifies you to practice as a licensed attorney
1. Bachelor’s Degree (4 years)
• You can study any major (law schools do not require a specific one).
• Many students choose areas like Political Science, History, English, Business, or Criminal Justice because they help develop strong writing, research, and critical thinking skills.
• The most important thing is to keep your GPA high and strengthen your analytical skills.
2. LSAT (Law School Admission Test)
• After or near the end of your bachelor’s, you take the LSAT.
• This standardized exam tests logical reasoning, reading comprehension, and critical thinking. Your score is very important for admission.
3. Law School (3 years, Juris Doctor – JD)
• You apply to law schools accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA).
• Law school takes three years full-time. You’ll study contracts, constitutional law, criminal law, civil procedure, immigration law (if offered), and more.
• You may specialize through electives, clinics, or internships (for example, in immigration or asylum law).
4. Bar Exam
• After graduating, you must pass the bar exam in the state where you want to practice law.
• This test qualifies you to practice as a licensed attorney