In an era where the legal profession must adapt to societal, technological, and global shifts, Expanding the Frontiers of Law and Justice through Clinical Legal Education: African Universities and Beyond, edited by Aaron O. Salau and Adeejat-Kubra A. Kolawole, emerges as an essential contribution to legal scholarship.
The book charts the evolution of Clinical Legal Education (CLE) across African universities, offering both a historical overview and a forward-looking analysis of the discipline.
This book explores Clinical Legal Education (CLE) in Africa, tracing its evolution, current practices, and future potential. It is a guide that bridges academic research, practical insights, and policy perspectives, offering readers an understanding of how law clinics are reshaping legal education and practice across the continent.
“We hope that the publishing of this book will enliven the debate on the place of CLE in the overall scheme of professional and practical training of aspiring lawyers in Nigeria and the entire African continent,” the authors said in acknowledgment.
Why It Matters
According to the authors, the book equips future lawyers with practical skills, ethical grounding, and social awareness that are essential for today’s legal challenges.
Salau and Kolawole demonstrate how CLE not only strengthens students’ proficiency but also promotes access to justice, human rights, and democratic values. The book highlights both the triumphs and the gaps in African law clinics, providing a roadmap for continued growth and impact.
For academics, practitioners, and policymakers, this volume is more than a scholarly resource, it is a roadmap for the future of legal education in Africa. Experts say its narrative makes it an essential read for anyone invested in the development of law, justice, and education on the continent.
How It Explores Legal Education
The editors adopt a structured, evidence-based approach, combining historical analysis, case studies, and forward-looking recommendations. From South Africa’s pioneering law clinics in the 1970s to Nigeria’s Network of University Legal Aid Institutions (NULAI), readers see how CLE has evolved and adapted.
The book also examines contemporary challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change and the innovative strategies African universities have used to continue training lawyers under extraordinary circumstances.
Salau and Kolawole provide a structured, evidence-based examination of these developments, highlighting the challenges, opportunities, and transformative potential of CLE for African legal education.
Where It Makes a Difference
This book is not just theoretical; it demonstrates the real-world impact of CLE on students, communities, and legal systems.
By integrating law clinics into university curricula, institutions have created pathways for practical engagement, community service, and professional development.
Salau and Kolawole emphasise the importance of institutional support, collaboration, and strategic management in ensuring CLE delivers maximum benefit for diverse stakeholders.
Who Will Benefit
This volume is invaluable for law students, academics, practitioners, policymakers, and anyone invested in the future of legal education.
It equips readers with knowledge, insights, and inspiration to contribute meaningfully to CLE, whether through designing curricula, running clinics, or advocating for justice and rights.
Observers say the authors’ expertise and vision make the book both authoritative and accessible. By blending historical insight, practical guidance, and visionary perspectives, Aaron O. Salau and Adeejat-Kubra A. Kolawole have created a book that shapes the discourse on legal education in Africa for years to come.
The Book’s Chapters
Chapter 1: Forging Empathetic and Proficient Lawyers in Africa
Traces the origins of CLE in Africa, showing how law clinics provide hands-on training, pro bono services, and exposure to socio-cultural aspects, developing empathetic, skilled lawyers.
Chapter 2: Confronting the Questions of Institutionalization of Clinical Legal Education and Standardization of Law Clinics in Nigeria
Examines challenges in institutionalising CLE and standardising law clinics, highlighting gaps in curriculum integration and operations, with recommendations for producing practice-ready lawyers.
Chapter 3: An Examination of Ethical Issues in the Management of Law Clinics in Nigeria
Discusses ethical challenges in student pro bono services, using a case study, and recommends clear ethical rules to ensure CLE fosters integrity alongside practical skills.
Chapter 4: Developing Ethical Legal Practice — The Role of Clinical Legal Education in Nigeria
Shows how CLE promotes ethical practice through experiential learning and client interaction, helping students develop responsibility, ethical awareness, and practical decision-making skills.
Chapter 5: Deep Culture Learning — A Required Resource for Clinical Legal Practice
Highlights the importance of understanding cultural values and dynamics, showing how deep culture learning enhances legal proficiency and practical lawyering skills.
Chapter 6: CLE and Law Clinic — A Response to Systemic Challenges in Developing African Jurisdictions
Explores how CLE addresses systemic challenges like under-resourced legal aid, outdated curricula, and institutional fragility while promoting experiential learning and socially conscious lawyers.
Chapter 7: Clinical Legal Education — Advancing Justice and Practical Knowledge of Law in Nigeria
Demonstrates how CLE exposes systemic flaws, equips students to uphold human dignity, expand access to justice, and produce socially aware, skilled legal professionals.
Chapter 8: Clinical Legal Education and Immigration Law in African Universities — Structure, Impact and Challenges
Shows how CLE supports immigration law practice across Africa, helping students assist migrants and refugees while enhancing skills, access to justice, and policy reform despite constraints.
Chapter 9: Riding the AI Wave or Risking Obsolescence? — Why Nigerian Legal Professionals Must Engage the Future
Explores AI’s impact on Nigerian legal practice, highlighting efficiency gains and the need for lawyers to develop tech literacy and new skills to stay relevant.
Chapter 10: Climate Justice, Action and Litigation — Opportunities for Law Clinics in African Universities
Highlights opportunities for CLE to engage in climate advocacy and litigation, equipping students with skills to address Africa’s climate challenges and promote sustainable development.
Chapter 11: Impact of Clinical Teaching Methods in Legal Education and Training in Nigeria
Evaluates how clinical teaching transforms legal education, bridging theory and practice and producing graduates ready for real-world law practice.
Chapter 12: The Role of Law Clinics in Protecting the Rights of Children in Nigeria
Examines how law clinics improve access to justice for vulnerable children, empowering students to advocate for children’s rights and welfare.
Chapter 13: Broadening the Frontiers of Access to Justice in Indigent Rural Communities Through Clinical Legal Education in Nigeria
Shows how CLE expands access to justice for marginalized rural communities, bridging the “legal poverty” gap, empowering populations, and strengthening the rule of law.
Chapter 14: Street Law — A Vehicle for Re-Inventing Customary Arbitration in Multi-Cultural Nigerian Suburban Communities
Explores how Street Law initiatives modernise customary arbitration, integrating traditional norms with formal rules to improve dispute resolution and access to justice.
Chapter 15: Law Clinics Navigating the Period of the Pandemic: The University of Ibadan Women’s Law Clinic During COVID-19 Lockdown as Case Study
Examines how law clinics adapted during COVID-19, showing how CLE continued to provide access to justice and offering strategies for operating during health emergencies.
Why You Should Read It
Expanding the Frontiers of Law and Justice is more than a book, it is a blueprint for the future of law in Africa. Reviewers say the book serves as a clarion call for greater regional and international collaboration
According to legal experts, by reading it, you gain insights into the evolution, significance, and potential of Clinical Legal Education, while discovering actionable strategies to effect change.
By identifying gaps and recommending strategic enhancements, the book encourages African universities to strengthen CLE’s institutionalisation, ultimately advancing access to justice, the rule of law, and human rights across diverse communities.
The authors urge anyone who cares about the law, justice, or Africa’s next generation of legal professionals not to miss out on this resource, and equip themselves with the knowledge and inspiration to understand and shape the future of legal education in Africa.
Talking Points
It is impressive that Aaron O. Salau and Adeejat-Kubra A. Kolawole have produced Expanding the Frontiers of Law and Justice through Clinical Legal Education, offering a detailed look at how African universities are redefining legal education with hands-on, practical training.
This focus on Clinical Legal Education (CLE) positions law clinics as essential for producing lawyers who are not only skilled in theory but also prepared to tackle real-world legal challenges and promote access to justice.
At Techparley, we see how this book highlights the transformative role of CLE in building empathetic, socially conscious lawyers who can make a tangible impact in communities, particularly in regions where access to legal support is limited.
The book also addresses current challenges, including the effects of COVID-19 and climate change on legal education, and presents practical strategies for universities to adapt while maintaining student learning outcomes and community engagement.
With its combination of scholarly research, real-world examples, and forward-looking recommendations, Expanding the Frontiers of Law and Justice is a must-read for anyone invested in the future of law and legal education in Africa.
