Law students starting out their first year at Makerere University have been urged to take their legal education seriously if they want to land better job prospects in the future.
The advice was sounded out on Tuesday, the 22nd during the students’ orientation into law school and lawyer life that was held at the law school campus in Makerere, Kampala.
Every single one of the high-profile lawyers including Mr. Andrew Kibaya of commercial law firm Shonubi & Musoke, Ms. Lillian Adriko, CEO of FIDA, and Mr. Moses Okwalinga, CEO of Uganda Law Society that were lined up by the institution to speak to the law students painted a rosy and promising picture of the legal profession but noted the students had to toughen and become intentional in their approaches in order to sail through their legal education and build successful legal careers.
The Principal of Makerere University Law School Prof. Ronald Naluwairo cautioned the law students against graduating with Pass degrees something which he said would show they put minimum effort into their studies and they should not be proud of.
Prof. Naluwairo disclosed to the students that the government of Uganda has adopted a policy whereby people who graduate with Pass degrees would not get employment in government institutions.
“ The current government policy is not to employ anyone with a pass degree. That means you can’t work in the Judiciary, Attorney General’s chambers… you can’t work anywhere.” He said.
Mr. Andrew Kibaya cautioned the law students against excitement in their newfound freedom at the University.
Kibaya told the law students that the timing of their legal education is probably bad in light of the moral degeneration that’s happened in the world but counseled them to be responsible and hold themselves to the high standards expected of legal professionals, especially with the proliferation of the internet-enabled information systems that can store potentially nefarious and sensitive information such as “nudes” that would pose a great risk to future employability.
Dr. Benson Tusasirwe, a lawyer and law lecturer at Makerere University called on the law students to examine why they had decided to study law noting that clarity of purpose was essential in keeping focused.
Benjamin Ahikiiriza is a Legal Writer And Digital Communications & Marketing Specialist majoring in Lawyers, Law Firms And the larger Legal Sector.
Benjamin currently Works as the Director of Content and Business Development At LegalReports.