THE ROLE OF LAW CLINICS IN EXPANDING HUMAN RIGHTS AND ACCESS TO JUSTICE: A CASE STUDY OF THE NIGERIAN LAW SCHOOL YENAGOA CAMPUS LAW CLINIC *Felicia Omonigho Eimunjeze is deputy Director (Academics) Nigerian Law School, feimunjeze@gmail.com, Ileola Adesina, ileolaadesina@ymail.com Lucia Odigie- Emmanuel, lawschoollucia@yahoo.co.uk l Both lecturers at the Nigerian Law School

INTRODUCTION Conceptualizing Justice as an ideal Scope of presentation The Law clinic as a tool for humanizing justice Law clinic as instrument for transforming the future of Justice delivery in Nigeria Law clinic in expanding human rights and access to justice

INADEQUATE ACCESS TO JUSTICE: A HUMAN WRONG Access to justice under the Nigerian Constitution 1999 Fundamental human right and access to justice in Nigeria in Chapter 4 of CFRN Fair hearing, Sections 36(1) CFRN 1999 Access to Justice 35(1) (4) and 35(5) Reality of justice administration in Nigeria “Justice is the means by which established injustices are sanctioned” ― Anatole France

NEED TO REMEDY POOR OR LACK OF ACCESS TO JUSTICE Governments attempt at detecting and remedying human right abuses Yenagoa community in Nigeria Nigerian Law School and its host communities Law clinic as sustainable corporate social responsibility of Nigerian Law School

STRUCTURE OF THE NIGERIAN LAW SCHOOL’S YENAGOA LAW CLINIC Established in January 2013 Membership Structure of clinic Mediation clinic Human rights clinic and General practice clinic Management of clinic

ACTIVITIES OF THE CLINIC school based clinic activities MEDIATION CLINIC Resolution of matrimonial dispute Intervention in community youth unrest

HUMAN RIGHTS CLINIC Street law programmes Human rights advocacy Sensitization on civil & political rights

GENERAL PRACTICE CLINIC Enlightenment programmes of the clinic Visits to Prisons and police stations Collaboration with the Legal Aid Council Securing the release of detainees

CHALLENGES TO THE OPERATIONS OF THE YENAGOA LAW CLINIC Institutional challenges The structure of students’ academic calendar; time constraints Attitude of lawyers Funding and logistics Insecurity in the Niger Delta

OVERCOMING THE CHALLENGES Enlisting support of government agencies Interface with the local bar Funding Linkages with other clinics around the globe

CONCLUSION The Yenagoa Law Clinic though still very young and inexperienced, is set to fulfill its mission as it is garnering popularity among the immediate host communities who have started coming to the clinic trusting that they will find help that will bring succor to their situations. The authority of the school is also being sensitized to propose amendment to the Practice Direction in States where there are law clinics for students in such clinics to be provisionally licensed to have limited audience in the lower courts.