Law School to punish law students who flout dress code.

The Council of Legal Education (CLE) operators of the Nigerian Law School (NLS) Tuesday ordered its students to stick to the prescribed mode of dressing for court and law firm attachments.

It warned that defaulters would be sanctioned, including repeating their ongoing three-month externship programme.

The CLE gave the warning in a statement signed by a Senior Lecturer. NLS, Lagos Campus and Externship Coordinator, Southwest, Mr Ugochukwu Charles Kanu.

The approved mode of dressing for NLS students on externship for males is black suit, white shirt and black tie, black shoes, black socks and black belt. For females: black skirt and black jacket, white shirt, and black shoes.

The CLE’s statement followed recent disquiet among lawyers and judicial officers about the poor dress standards of many law students in the region.

On Monday, a former Chairman of the NBA’s Ikorodu Branch, in a viral article titled “The Nigerian Law School and Dress Codes: Judges and lawyers should pay more attention during Externships”, urged lawyers and judges to address the matter.

Bayo said: “I have observed with dismay that some externs on court attachment come to court wearing just a white shirt and a tie with no jackets.

“When I ask these externs why they come to court dressed this way, they look at me like I am strange as according to them, it is regulation dress at the law school…

“I am even more concerned that some of our judges do not notice this anomaly or do not regard it as important as part of the training these externs must receive during this period.”

Responding to the concerns, the CLE issued a March 29, 2022 memo seen by The Nation, titled: “IMPROPER DRESSING BY STUDENTS OF THE NIGERIAN LAW SCHOOL”

It said it had been embarrassed by the reports.

The CLE said: “Recall that on Wednesday 23rd February 2022 during the Nigerian Law School, Lagos Campus Externship Induction Exercise, students were expressly briefed on the acceptable mode of dressing to the Court and Law Firms respectively. Other Nigerian Law School campuses also had the same briefing.

“Irrespective of the above effort, we have been besieged with an embarrassing and shameful report from judges and Practitioners of law students’ improper dressing and conducts unbecoming of an aspirant to the Bar.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the acceptable mode of dressing for Nigerian Law School students on Externship remains for males: Black suit (not waistcoat), white shirt and black tie, black shoe, black socks and black belt. For females: Black skirt and black jacket, white shirt, and black shoes. Please see Rule 5 Paragraphs 1 (a) & (b) on pages 2-3 of the Code of Conduct for students of Nigerian Law School.

“TAKE NOTICE that from today 29th March 2022 any Nigerian Law School Student who does not appear on the above regulation attire as contained in paragraph three above and/or the Code of Conduct will be issued a Query and made to face disciplinary action which may extend to repeating the entire externship.

We have empowered practitioners and Nigerian Bár Associations of various branches to report any erring student to us.”