Three years ago the Undergraduate Laws Programme implemented a small series of LLB scholarships in Tanzania and Uganda to provide opportunities for budding lawyers who may not have otherwise had access to a prestigious legal degree.
Ugandan scholar Daniel Adyera, who has just sat his Year 2 exams and is awaiting his results, has been extremely successful so far in his studies and has made great strides into his chosen profession. Daniel has recently been accepted onto a clerkship at The Chief Magistrates Court Nakawa, Uganda, where he is gaining some practical experience to supplement his studies.
Hoping to gain a clear understanding of the internal and external application of laws in Uganda, Daniel explains why he applied for this work experience:
This clerkship is vital for me as a prospective legal practitioner in the country. This will help me to understand most of the Court processes and undertakings, since I can hardly learn these simply by reading textbooks.
The challenge that seemed insurmountable at first was understanding Civil and Criminal Procedure rules of the High Court and the Magistrates Courts of Uganda as I am yet to take Civil and Criminal Procedure with the University of London (Daniel hopes to take this in his third year).
I have so far spent three weeks at the Court and intend to continue for as long as my services are deemed worthy and useful.
Asked what he hopes to do once he graduates, Daniel said:
I have hence realised that with my studies, I not only became the captain and master of my future but also won respect and recognition from various members of the society who acknowledge my daily work and studies.
I love peace and justice in the world. My heart bleeds when I see and read about abuse of human rights. For that, I intend to partner with international bodies that fight for restoration and protection of the human dignity and peace. I hope to work with women and children most when I graduate, for they are the most vulnerable to abuse and grievous atrocities in the world.
We admire Daniel for his passion for law and hope he makes the most of this opportunity. As he says, becoming a lawyer takes more than simply reading books – and the same can be said for whatever profession you chose to undertake! Whether you are wishing to practise law in the future or not, practical experience is often viewed highly by prospective employers.