THE LOST ART OF LEARNING LAW: REASSESSING MENTORSHIP, CHAMBERS TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL FORMATION IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The making of a competent lawyer extends beyond formal legal education. Historically, mentorship, chambers training and close professional supervision played a central role in the formation of legal practitioners, providing young lawyers with practical skills, ethical orientation and professional judgment that could not be acquired from classrooms alone. In contemporary Nigeria, however, concerns have emerged regarding the decline of structured mentorship and the increasing disconnect between academic legal training and professional practice. Many young lawyers enter the profession with strong theoretical knowledge but limited exposure to advocacy, client management, legal drafting, courtroom etiquette and professional responsibility. This article examines the changing role of mentorship and chambers training in Nigerian legal practice and evaluates their significance to professional formation. Drawing upon legal history, professional ethics, comparative experience and contemporary realities within the Nigerian Bar, the article argues that effective mentorship remains indispensable to the development of competent and ethical lawyers. It contends that the weakening of traditional mentoring structures has contributed to skill gaps within the profession and proposes reforms aimed at strengthening chambers-based training and intergenerational professional development. The article concludes that the future of legal excellence in Nigeria depends not only on legal education but also on the revival of meaningful mentorship within the profession.