I am interested in qualifying as a lawyer in Ghana or Nigeria. Can anybody advise me on the process or where I could find out? I am afraid I have no knowledge on this and I don't even know if the profession is split between solicitor and barrister as in England or not? I would like to know if their is a bar exam and if you also have to do a training contract or pupillge? Also is the CPE from an English University recognised and is are the LPC and/or BVC from England recognised? I appreciate I am ignorant on this so would be grateful for some help.

In Nigeria you would be required to go to the University and study Law for a 5years duration after which you would go to the Law school for 9months intensive training .
At the end of the training,you would sit for the Bar part 2 Examination and if you pass you would be called to the Nigerian Bar.
In Nigeria ,a Lawyer practises as a solicitor and Barrister.
I hope this is helpful.

Hi there!
If you already have a degree in law from another university out of Nigeria,( which I suppose you do have) all you have to do is apply to go to the Nigeria Law school where you will be prepared for the Bar Part 1 exams and if you are successful, you will go ahead to do the Bar Part 2 which will qualify you to be called to the bar and practise as a barrister and solicitor. Yes, there is the "pupillage" thing in Nigeria, but it is not for a year as in Uk. Its just for about 3 months of Chambers and Court attachement. Its fun and full of experience depending on where you do it! Wish you best of luck.

Hi,
If its not too late to consider studying in Ghana, heres what happens. Its similar to that in Nigeria. If you do not have an llb u need to get one, at the University of Ghana its a two-year postgraduate degree, then to the Ghana School of law for another two years. No bar exams are taken as your exams from two years in law school count towards that. its the same process if u already have an llb, u go straight to law school for two years and you practise both as a solicitor and barrister. If u have already qualified n an english commonlaw country you do a six month course and are calle to the Ghanaian bar. Hope this helps

I am currently pursuing a law career in england and plan to practise in england and ghana as well. If you want to qualify in Ghana (and save the conversion time to the ghana bar) it is imperative to be called to the Bar in whatever jurisdiction you undertake your law course. If you qualify as a solicitor I believe you would have to take 2yrs at the Ghana Law School instead of taking the shorter conversion course. I am not sure how long the conversion course is, I have heard varying lengths at 3 and 6 months.

Hope this helps

at the moment i am told it is only 2 months!!! but can someone shed light on the fees? I have been tld $2000/£2000. There is a vast difference between those 2 figures!

iI AM A NEW USER AND HAVE HEARD THAT THE FEES RANGE BETWEEN 2000 TO £3000. BUT I THINK IT IS £2000. I AM QUITE HAPPY ABOUT THIS DISCUSSION BOARD. I AM CONTEMPLATING DOING THE CONVERSION COURSE IN GHANA. HOWEVER, I AM NOT QUITE SURE HOW DIFFICULT OR STRESSFUL IT IS. APPRAENTLY IT IS JUST A COUSRE FOR SIX MONTHS AND THATS IT BUT I GUESS THERE IS MORE TO IT. i AM ASKING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY I AM HOPING THAT AFTER ALL THE SLEEPNESS NIGHTS BEFORE PASSING MY BAR IN LONDON, HOPEFULLY THE CONVERSION COURSE WILL BE OAKY. DOES ANYONE KNOW ABOUT THE MODULES STUDIED ON THE CONVERSION COURSE AND HOW DID YOU FIND THE COURSE? TELL ME MORE

Does anybody have the contact details in Ghana for finding out more about this conversion course? Also does anybody know what is the position for a barrister i.e.called to the bar but who does not have an LLB (passed CPE instead) for taking this shorter course for already qualified lawyers?

Can anyone comment on the acceptablity in general of the CPE in Ghana or for that matter anywhere else??

I am a Canadian lawyer looking to qualify for the Ghanaian Bar. Does anyone have complete details on the current process or contact information in Ghana?

Hi there

can you possibly advsie me on the sort of modules studied? My understanding is that for those who have already qualified as Barristers, constitutional law and customary law are the only modules to be taken. However, these two are also subdivided in various units.

I also have other info to suggest that the above is incorrect and that students have to sit arbitration, landlaw, customary, constitutional and i can't quite remember what the fith one is.

At the moment i am not quite sure about the odules studied.

Which of the above is correct if applicable?

hi Sian

Did you get the contact details for relevant person at the Ghana law school? If you did, i'd appreciate it if you could email it over to me so that i can make extensive enquiries about this whole thing. No one seems to have any answers.

For information on admission to the Nigerian Bar, please visit the official website of the Nigerian Law School -
www.mynlsportal.com

I was just wondering whether anyone knows whether the Nigerian law school accepts a B.A in law or does it have to be a LLB. I have a B.A in Economics, Politics and Law, I have my entrance soliitors exams done in Ireland and I am currently studing a LLM. I have all the stipulated law subjects needed by the Nigerian law society done and I have even done the majority of these topics done twice, once for my undergraduate and then again for my entrance soliitors exams. The only subject I have not done is commercial. I was wondering whether my qualifications would be sufficient in order to enter law school.

Any advice, anyone could give me please would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

For those who seek to do the Ghana Bar - Post call please see http://www.gslaw.edu.gh/index.php. This website should answer all your questions.
This Course is designed for persons who have qualified in Common Law Countries outside Ghana which operate the Legal System analogous to that of Ghana. That means if you have done the LLB and the LPC you will have to have completed the training contract and be called on the Roll of solicitors so that when you are applying for the Ghana Bar you can show your certificate as proof.
The Ghana Bar - post call is ONLY 3 MONTHS from July - September and if you pass you will be called to the bar in the first week of October.
My uncle is the Director of the Ghana School of law and he has made sure that while he is the director, the term remains at ONLY 3 MONTHS.
Finding a training contract is soo difficult therefore keep thinking outside the box.
I thought it would be possible to finish the LPC then do the Ghana Bar for 3 months but after I learnt you need a training contract that plan had to die.
My advice make sure you obtain a training contract during your LLB. If not, and you want to do the LPC do the ILEX course to avoid doing a training contract.
For those who have reached the stage of completing the LLB LLM and LPC like me, just keep searching for a Training contract and do not be overly choosey or too picky about the law firms. Remember the key is to qualify. Once you have if you want to go to Ghana to practice it takes 3months and the current fee is £3,000 for the course, 500GH cedis for the application form, 85 and 65 for the gown and wig.
I hope this helps you all, take care, keep praying and never give up!

Hi Joey,
since you know a lot about law in Ghana, i hope you and any other person can advise me on what to do. I just completed university of Ghana with a bachelor of arts degree in geography and resource development, However, i want to study law and practice in Ghana. I understand i have to first get an llb. I want to do that outside the country. Where do you suggest i do it and what are some of the scholarship opportunities available? Do you think getting an llb outside is the best thing to do?

Hi Pweddynana

I was born and raised in the UK and I was giving advice to those of us who live outside Ghana and want to qualify to be able to practice both here in the UK and Ghana.

Congratulations on completion of your first degree - you must be over the moon!

Concerning your quest to study law - do you want to qualify in Ghana only or abroad e.g. UK/USA.
If you want to stay in Ghana than for the sake of money I would do the LLB in Ghana and learn the Ghana legal system as it is different from England and Wales e.g. the UK do not have Chieftancy rules.
Later, if you have the money, you may want to do a Masters degree- at this point I would suggest you try and come to the UK and do your best to get in to a top university for law like UCL, Queens, Kings, SOAS ect.
To be honest its all about the money- becoming educated abroad is very expensive for residents let alone international students for example in the past £10,000 for an LLB, £5,000 for an LLM and £12,000 for the Bar school was standard for residents - international students had to pay much more.
Being in Ghana means you have a greater opportunity to qualify than the UK residents because the rules are different.
In Ghana once your education is finished ie LLB and Bar school you can call yourself a Barrister and attach yourself to a Law firm/Chambers and practice.
In the UK now, because of the economic crisis, credit crunch/ recession it has become extremely difficult to obtain employment. I say this to you because in the UK once you have fnished the LLB and Bar School you must then obtain employment from 1-2 years before being admitted as qualifed. To get these positions is hard because the law firms cannot afford training so you are very blessed to be in Ghana at this time- use it to your advantage.
Also once you are qualified in Ghana, if you so wish you can come and practice here on completion of the QLTT - this course consists of a few tests and examines your work experience- much quicker process coming into the UK rather than already being in the UK.
I hope that answers all your questions.
I cannot advise on any scholarship opportunities therefore you will have to ask at the individual universities or go on-line for that.

Best wishes
Joey

tnx joey

Hi there,
What options do I have in regards to being called to the Bar in Ghana?
I graduated with an LL.B in English Private law(3 year program) from Cameroon, proceeded to South Korea where i'll obtain a Juris Doctor (J.D 3 year program) in American and international law.
Im specialised in Shipping and Maritime law and will want to gain admission into the Ghana bar.
Please advice.

Yours Truly

hah what if u jst finished 6th form in london do u go to uni in ghana straight away???


someone reply asap plzzz!!!!

I am a citizen of Nigeria. I did both my LLB and LLM in the UK. I am back home now about to start my law school in July. I also want to qualify as a lawyer in Ghana once i finish my law school. Do i have to do the 2 year course? or there is a shorter course for people like me?