The Lagos State Law Reform Commission (LAWRECOM) has urged Nigerian Law School externs attached to the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, to embrace legal reform, governance, and public service as critical areas of modern legal practice.
Speaking during an engagement with externs attached to the court of Justice Abiola Soladoye, the Executive Secretary of LAWRECOM, Mrs. Oluyemisi Ogunlola, encouraged aspiring lawyers to move beyond traditional courtroom practice and develop the capacity to contribute to institutional and justice sector reforms.
Ogunlola described the externship programme as an important bridge between legal education and professional practice, noting that students should use the opportunity to understand not only how laws operate but also how they can be improved to better serve society.
She explained that the courtroom offers firsthand exposure to the realities of justice administration and provides valuable insights into challenges such as procedural delays, barriers to access to justice, and institutional inefficiencies.
According to her, identifying and analysing such challenges can contribute to future legal and policy reforms.
The LAWRECOM boss also highlighted the commission’s mandate to review and reform Lagos State laws to ensure they remain relevant, effective, and responsive to contemporary realities.
She noted that the commission’s Reform Intelligence Desk was established to receive reform suggestions and identify legal and institutional gaps requiring legislative intervention.
Ogunlola further outlined some of the commission’s ongoing initiatives, including statewide law audits, law codification projects, digital access to legislation, translation of laws into Yoruba, and broader stakeholder engagement programmes aimed at making law reform more inclusive.
Addressing the future of the legal profession, she said emerging opportunities now extend beyond litigation into areas such as public policy, governance, technology, institutional design, and access to justice.
She urged the students to cultivate critical thinking, innovation, integrity, professionalism, and a strong commitment to public service.
The session formed part of an annual mentorship initiative organised by Justice Abiola Soladoye to expose Nigerian Law School externs to practical insights from legal practitioners and public sector leaders.
The engagement concluded with an interactive session during which students reflected on their court attachment experiences and discussed the role of young lawyers in advancing justice sector reforms and institutional development.
