Nassarawa State University Wins the 17th NULAI National Client Interviewing & Counselling Skills Competition

Nassarawa State University Law Clinic (NSUK Law Clinic) has emerged winners of the 17th National Client Interviewing & Counselling Skills Competition (NCCC).

The NCCC is an annual competition organized by the Network of University legal Aid Institutions (NULAI) Nigeria. The aims of the competition is to promote greater knowledge and interest among law students to develop interviewing, planning, analytical and preventive (ADR) skills in the lawyer-client relationship in the office. Too often, it is assumed that lawyers have the listening and questioning skills needed to conduct an effective interview. Regrettably, not all lawyers possess these skills. The competition also provides a valuable educational and cultural interchange among students, law teachers and legal practitioners.

Winners of the national competition go on to represent Nigeria at the international Brown Mosten Client Consultation competition.

The 1st edition of the NCCC was held at the University of Maiduguri on February 17-18, 2006. Five universities including the Nigerian Law School Kano Campus participated in this edition. Aminu Hassan Gamawa and Daniel H. Bwala (University of Maiduguri) emerged winners and represented Nigeria at the international competition held in Cardiff, Wales. More details of the NCCC here.

This year, NULAI hosted a hybrid edition of the NCCC; the preliminary rounds were held virtually from January 31 – February 1, 2023 while the semi-final and final rounds held in-person and was hosted by the Faculty of Law, BAZE University, Abuja on February 17, 2023.

19 university teams took part in the competition. Including:

Abia State University Absu LawClinic

Achievers University

Ahmadu Bello University Abu Lawclinic

Ambrose Alli University

Bauchi State University

Bayero University

Baze University

Ebonyi State University EBSU LAW Clinic

Edo State University

Edwin Clark University

Kogi State University KSU Anyigba Law Clinic

Nassarawa State University NSUK Law Clinic

Redeemer’s University

University of Abuja

University of Ibadan Women’s Law Clinic, University Of Ibadan

University of Ilorin Legal Aid Clinic, University of Ilorin.

University of Jos

University of Maiduguri

Usman Danfodio University

The 19 teams competed in 2 preliminary rounds on January 31 and February 1, 2023. From the preliminary rounds, 6 teams comprising, Ahmadu Bello University; Edwin Clark University; Kogi State University; Nassarawa State University, University of Ibadan and University of Illorin progressed and competed at the semi-finals. At the end of the semi-finals, 3 teams namely; Edwin Clark University, Kogi State University and Nassarawa State University qualified for the finals.

The keenly contested final round saw the team of Faith Gimba and Matthew Obinna Jude representing Nassarawa State University emerge winners of the competition.

With this result, Nassarawa State University will represent Nigeria at the 2023 Brown Mosten International Client Consultation Competition. This year’s international competition will be hosted by University of Maastricht in the Netherlands from 11-15 April 2023.