tourphland:
As a recently graduated law student from Nigerian school...i need advice both from foreigners and other senior colleagues who studied law in Nigeria and who are in diaspora now too...advice is needed on the challenges of finding law jobs or whether masters can be a positive ladder in landing a law job abroad... Or is it better to just change the discipline outright to go get another degree or so.... Ps advices

tourphland:
As a recently graduated law student from Nigerian school...i need advice both from foreigners and other senior colleagues who studied law in Nigeria and who are in diaspora now too...advice is needed on the challenges of finding law jobs or whether masters can be a positive ladder in landing a law job abroad... Or is it better to just change the discipline outright to go get another degree or so.... Ps advices

aribs:
Depends on how much resources are available to you and what you would want to do. I would concur with the views of Cyberknight for the most part. If your resources are able to make you pass exams such as LSAT here in the US so you can go for a three -year program, then by all means sure. However, if this is not so, would suggest you explore other areas if you really want to school abroad. I would not suggest a Masters in Law except you are doing a Masters in Taxation Law or some other high specialty masters. Those might give you an advantage but they are quite tough (not impossible). Here in the US, which is common law like Nigeria, the market for lawyers is not doing so great except you go to certain schools which sort of give you a leg up over competition so that is also one factor you should consider. Ultimately, your resources, ability to adapt based on your country of choice and your personal drive would be the ultimate decider. By the way thanks Pocohantas

Cyberknight:


"Abroad" is a wide and loose term, it encompasses about 200 countries and territories. To which one(s) do you refer? You're a lawyer, you should have learnt to use language precisely in school.

However, note that law is a professional course so most of the developed countries in the common law world will require you as a holder of a foreign degree to spend another couple of years in schooling and taking exams (Canada up to 3 years) and in countries where some sort of employment is required as part of the training process (think Canadian articling for instance) it can be difficult to get in. Given that there are no English speaking civil law countries, you will have to add learning a language to successfully pass bar exams to your plans if you end up in a civil law country.

If you want to take a masters, focus on courses such as intellectual property and ADR/Arbitration. Don't waste your time with stuff like oil and gas law as many Nigerians tend to do or the catch-all international law.

Lastly bear in mind that most countries are definitely NOT lacking homegrown lawyers in any way and it's not a profession in demand like the medical professionals and IT chaps are.

Best of luck.

aribs:
Depends on how much resources are available to you and what you would want to do. I would concur with the views of Cyberknight for the most part. If your resources are able to make you pass exams such as LSAT here in the US so you can go for a three -year program, then by all means sure. However, if this is not so, would suggest you explore other areas if you really want to school abroad. I would not suggest a Masters in Law except you are doing a Masters in Taxation Law or some other high specialty masters. Those might give you an advantage but they are quite tough (not impossible). Here in the US, which is common law like Nigeria, the market for lawyers is not doing so great except you go to certain schools which sort of give you a leg up over competition so that is also one factor you should consider. Ultimately, your resources, ability to adapt based on your country of choice and your personal drive would be the ultimate decider. By the way thanks Pocohantas

tourphland:

Bro so what other linking academia area will be cool for a lawyer..... It's just me being curious on being successful anyways, lol ..... It may sound kiddy tho... Just that we're not to exposed to stuffs happening outside there... Thanks

aribs:

Going abroad is like a slate being wiped clean. You can put anything on it. You can do anything and be anything. In my own instance, i did the NY bar and also did a masters in economics. So it's up to you and the resources available and your ability