Prominent figures in Nigeria's legal sector are advocating for the compulsory inclusion of structured mentorship programs within the Nigerian Law School curriculum, emphasizing its crucial role in shaping competent and ethically-grounded legal practitioners.
Legacy Dialogue Sparks Crucial Conversation
The urgent call emerged during the second Legacy Dialogue event organized by the Johnny Agim, SAN Foundation (JASAN Foundation) in Abuja on November 15, 2025. The gathering brought together judges, senior advocates, academics, law students, and emerging legal professionals to address the theme "Institutionalisation of Mentorship in the Legal Profession: A Strategic Blueprint for Professional Development."
Participants unanimously agreed that structured mentorship represents a vital solution to bridging gaps in legal practice while adequately preparing new lawyers for the profession's rigorous demands.
Concrete Recommendations for Implementation
In a formal communique released after the dialogue, stakeholders presented specific recommendations for integrating mentorship into legal education. They urged the Council of Legal Education, the Nigerian Law School, the Body of Benchers, law-firm leaders, and senior practitioners to formally embed mentorship schemes into the academic framework.
The proposed framework includes pairing every Bar Part II student with an approved practitioner and branch mentor before their Call-to-Bar ceremony. This guidance would continue for at least twelve months following their admission to the Bar.
The communique also suggested innovative approaches to enhance participation, including linking mentorship activities to continuing legal education credits and utilizing digital platforms for tracking, evaluation, and maintaining transparency throughout the process.
Judicial Support for Formal Mentorship Structure
Federal High Court judge Justice Mabel Segun-Bello delivered a powerful endorsement of the initiative, warning that the current informal approach to mentorship poses significant long-term risks to professional standards and the justice system.
She expressed concern that mentorship in the legal profession had become "increasingly informal, and at times even incidental," leaving many young lawyers to "navigate the labyrinth of practice without consistent guardians."
Addressing critics who argue that mentorship should remain a private matter, Justice Segun-Bello countered that the legal profession's monopoly over representing human rights and liberties gives society a legitimate interest in how lawyers receive training.
"Mentorship serves as an infrastructure for justice, and leaving it to chance is inviting systemic risk. A poorly mentored bar will produce a fragile bench," she cautioned.
The judge emphasized that the profession must "rediscover the culture of deliberate and intentional mentorship," clarifying that the purpose is not to impose new burdens but to revive the virtues of diligence, humility, and ethical consistency.
Foundation Commits to Legal Excellence
Johnny Agim, SAN, President and Founder of JASAN Foundation, outlined his organization's commitment to fostering excellence in the legal profession through comprehensive mentorship and sponsorship programs.
He revealed ambitious plans to create a network of 500 well-rounded young lawyers equipped to drive positive change within the legal sector. Agim noted that the inaugural Legacy Dialogue had established a solid foundation for discussions about the future of law and professional identity formation.
Experts maintain that formal mentorship provides young lawyers with practical insights, ethical guidance, and professional networks while preserving the legal profession's cherished traditions and values.
