Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Virtual Law Practice is Revolutionizing Delivery of Legal Services, Lowering Costs as Well as Evening The Playing Field For Legal Services Online That Brings Law Practice Up to Speed With The 21st Century Legal MarketPlace







Virtual Law Practice or Virtual Law Office, is an online law practice that exists through a secure log-in portal and can be accessed by both clients and attorneys anywhere an internet connection is available. In contrast to a traditional law practice, a Virtual Law Practice allows attorneys and clients to communicate securely over the internet, download or upload documents, and conduct other business normally conducted face-to-face over the internet.

A virtual law firm is a legal practice that does not have a bricks-and-mortar office, but operates from the homes or satellite offices of its lawyers, usually delivering services to clients at a distance using technological means of communication. Most have a central function responsible for the accounting and administrative side of the practice. Virtual law firms are formed and regulated in the same way as traditional law firms, but their lawyers may be self-employed consultants rather than partners or employees.

In a profession know historically resistant to change. The concept of a virtual law firm sounds mystical or fake, the idea of altering the way business is done can be difficult for some Orthodox Lawyers to swallow. Peeling away the layers, however, reveals that there is nothing Mythical or Fake about a virtual law firm. It is simply a fancy way of labeling two or more lawyers who collaborate and recognize that innovation should play a role in serving clients. If client expectations change, law firm models should follow. Virtual Law Practices have emerged in various iterations, each of which is driven by the practice’s client base. The models range from solo practitioners delivering services online to large firms operating outside a traditional bricks-and-mortar setting. The concepts are limited only by the creativity of those involved.

The main benefit of a virtual law office to the client is convenience and accessibility to the lawyer. The unbundled legal services of a Virtual Law Office can also save clients a considerable amount of money by allowing them to handle much of the work surrounding their legal consultation themselves, with an attorney guiding them and drafting paperwork (known as “unbundling”) In turn, an attorney running a Virtual Law Office will have more flexible work hours and be able to serve a much larger client base over the internet. They will also save significant overhead related to running a practice (such as office rent, paper, and assisting staff). With the rapid expansion of technology and internet use, lawyers who are able to bend their practice to serve this client base may find themselves more successful.

According to earlier sources, a virtual law firm has the following characteristics:

Has a stable core group of attorneys;
Operates under one legal entity, such as a partnership or a proprietorship.
Has established collaborative relationships with other, specialized law firms that possess expertise that’s occasionally needed;
Is glued together with appropriate computer and telecommunications technology such as project management software or a Virtual Law Office (VLO)
Tends to have low overhead because of the ability of some or all attorneys to work from home or a low cost remote office.
Expands and reduces personnel as needed.

Virtual firms can be full service and handle the entire range of existing practice areas, from estate planning to criminal defense to business matters such as mergers and acquisitions and complex litigation. From the client’s perspective, the work product completed does not look different than that produced by a traditional firm. It is how the firm operates in the background that differs. This is where setting up the right structure and team is crucial.

Multi-lawyer firms can now practice in a distributed manner. The firms have centralized meeting space for attorney or client meetings, but the lawyers practice from home or in other locations that make the most sense to each lawyer. Virtual assistants are used for administrative support. Cloud-based practice management systems enable the lawyers to collaborate on cases and to have all information related to the matter at their fingertips—whether they are at a home office or traveling on the other side of the world.

The advent of technology used in virtual law firms such as project management software, Virtual Law Offices and cloud computing have made it far easier for legal practices to save and manage data across geographic locations securely and efficiently and to communicate with clients at a distance, so that proximity to the client, or of the lawyers to each other in an office, has become far less important.

The virtual law firm has also come to be associated with lower prices, as they generally operate with lower overheads than traditional law firms. Lawyers find they can bill fewer hours but still make more money via a virtual firm because of the lower overheads.

e-Lawyering and the Virtual Law Office

The first recorded virtual law firm was "Woolley & Co" set up in 1996 in England by Andrew Woolley. The term became more clearly defined in 2004 in an article written by Joe Kashi defining exactly what it meant to be a virtual law firm. Virtual law firms are also often referred to as “cloud-based law firms”. The concept has since spread globally and is finding favour with clients seeking higher quality service, value, and mobility.

More recently, the concept of the virtual law firm has been associated with the term, "e-Lawyering" referring to a law firm that delivers legal services online, either directly to consumers through their law firm websites or through legal matching platforms. The American Bar Association has released a statement on minimum requirements for law firms delivering legal service online. The guidelines equate the concept of "e-Lawyering" with the Virtual Practice of Law and the concept of the virtual law firm. According to the American Bar Association guidelines, e-Lawyering or Virtual Law Practice refers specifically to the delivery of legal services online through a section of a law firm's website that is a known as a secure "client portal." Under this definition, a "Virtual Law Firm" is not simply a lawyer who does not have a physical office and communicates with clients by email. Instead, the law firm must have a secure section of its website where a client can log in with a unique user name and password.

The purpose of the e-Lawyering Task Force minimum requirements is to provide guidance to attorneys who wish to deliver legal services online on how to comply with the professional rules of conduct that govern law practice in each U.S. state. Conducting business through a log-in portal is different from conducting business over email, as the log-in portal is required to be secure and must adhere to strict regulations and standards. A completely virtual law office will conduct all business online, while some small practices choose to integrate a Virtual Law Office log-in portal to provide more options to their clients.


The features offered by a Virtual Law Office depend on the particular vendor, but basic features centre around a securely hosted, web-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) application that stores documents as part of a cloud computing system. By storing documents and information on an external server and allowing log-in through a secure, encrypted portal, documents can be accessed and shared by client and attorney.  A Virtual Law Office allows clients and their attorneys to message and communicate securely, schedule appointments online, and upload and download documents. Attorneys running a Virtual Law Office can also sync their firm’s calendars, sell documents online, and use a “virtual receptionist” service to handle administrative tasks. Attorneys also save on paper and printing costs by providing documents online, and both parties can access the Virtual Law Office portal at any time of day.   



 OlayinkaOyelamiVirtualLawPractice  is a leading provider of integrated information solutions to the global legal market, for businesses and professionals. We combine industry expertise with innovative technology to deliver critical information to leading decision makers in the financial and risk, legal, tax and accounting, intellectual property and science and media markets, powered by the world's most trusted news organization. We have a long year history as an innovator in the legal field and our products are considered to be the world standard for supporting the business and practice of law.  We offer a powerful competitive advantage to our customers by providing authoritative resources, tools, and services.

With over 500 do-it-yourself legal products, the largest library of online consumer-friendly legal products including: power of attorney, wills, living trusts, leases, promissory notes, and America’s #1 bestselling estate planning software Quicken Will-Maker Plus. Our vision is simple, yet powerful to give our customers smarter ways to work by providing unrivaled legal solutions that integrate content, expertise and technologies.  We've built a portfolio of products that span practice and management for litigators, corporate counsel, business lawyers, government legal professionals and small law firm attorneys – legal solutions built to help our customers thrive. Get more insights here 



OlayinkaOyelamiVirtualLawPractice is a global digital legal services firm...a legal subsidiary of OlayinkaOyelamiCorporation (OOCORP) We are leading online legal document preparation service providers with affiliate partners using web-based technology to work with online clients offering small business owners a fast, easy, and economical way to form a corporation, limited liability company (LLC), or other business structure online or by phone.

Monday, November 14, 2016

What is The Biggest Reason While Law Firms Fails ?


Every single year  law firms close up offices and send lawyers scrambling in search of new jobs. As you navigates the trials and tribulations of the industry, get insights into the common reasons why law firms failed  so you can protect yourself against falling victim to this reality. Fighting Between Partners Good lawyers are tough fighters with strong opinions. That is what makes them good at what they do. However, when those lawyers start fighting among themselves while trying to run a law firm, the law firm will likely fail. If your firm’s owners are fighting, you must use your mediation skills to come to an agreement Too Many Partners, Not Enough Associates Too many heads and not enough feet can lead to the death of a law firm. There are some law firms where up to two-thirds of the lawyers are partners! This does not work well. It’s very unlikely that all of these partners are contributing to the company’s bottom line. Everyone needs to be productive and carry their weight, whether they are new associates or senior partners. Failure to Focus on Clients The most important person in your law firm is not you, your partner, or your lead lawyer. It’s your client. If your law firm is all about you and your partners, then your clients are going to start looking for services elsewhere. Put your clients’ needs first, and watch as your reputation and client base improve. Internal Orientation A law firm will struggle if it focuses too much on inner workings and neglects client services. Your procedures and policies will not matter if you have no clients. Point your focus outward and build a strong client base. Refusal to Learn Law school represents a sizeable investment of time and energy. Yet when it’s over, lawyers aren’t done learning. You must take the time to stay current on changes in the law, up-and-coming strategies to win cases, and new management or marketing skills. Leaders in the firm must spearhead the effort and encourage continued growth and development through training, seminars, and other educational opportunities. Hiring Without a Strategy Do you bring enough new associates onboard, and do you hire them with a clear vision of the future? When you hire, exercise due diligence to ensure the new hire fits a specific, long-term need for your firm. As many law firms move forward, they fail to groom successors. When partners are ready to retire, their hard work goes up in smoke when they pass on their firm to a managing partner with no leadership skills. To ensure your firm’s longevity, hire and promote with future leadership in mind. Lack of Focus What is your primary focus? Is it chasing the next big source of revenue? Is it finding a specialty and growing as an expert in the field? If your law firm is constantly switching directions and choosing a new focus or practice area, you will confuse your clients. Instead, take the time to build a consistent practice. Your clients will come to trust your expertise and recognize your unique abilities. Clients “Owned” By Partners If partners work independently of each other with major clients, you run the risk of losing significant income if a partner leaves the firm and takes the clients they “own” with them. To limit this risk, use a team of lawyers for each client. If one chooses to leave, they will be less likely to take the client with them. No Experiments While focus is important, so is experimentation. While your firm develops its primary niche, try some new things. You may discover a new strategy or niche area of practice that is a big revenue generator. No Growth Budget Smart law firms are always planning financially for growth. As your firm delves into a few experiments, you will need funding. Sometimes, these experiments will fail, sometimes they will be even more successful than you had hoped. It’s important to budget for the cost of growing pains Failure to Adapt and Change Law firms that fail to change with the times are going to struggle and probably fail. No firm can last for decades without adapting to the needs of clients, technological advances, and changes in the practice of law. Stay on the forefront of these changes and keep your law firm up to speed in order to succeed. Reliance on a Single Industry or a Small Number of Clients Variety is essential to succeeding as a law firm. While it’s important to focus on a few specialty areas of practice, be sure to choose a niche that has enough clients and demands to support the firm. You may also consider if you need to expand your offerings to include multiple industries to gain a larger number of clients. Don’t depend on one stream of revenue or one small group of clients The Biggest Reason Law Firms Fail: Ineffective Leadership A look at most of these issues points to one overriding problem: a lack of effective leadership. Law firms close every year, and ineffective leadership is typically at the heart of the problem. If you want your law firm to stand the test of time, be willing to make the tough decisions and build a strong leadership team. That, alone, could mean the difference between success and failure in a world where longevity is threatened.

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Codes of Coduct and Admission Into Nigerian Law School Externship Programme



The Council of Legal Education (CLE) is the only body entitled or legally empowered to prescribe conditions or additional pre-conditions for admission into the Nigerian Law School. Section 1 (1) of the Legal Education (Consolidation) Act, 1976 establishes the CLE (Council of Legal Education) as a body corporate”with perpetual succession and a common seal.” Section 1 (2) then provides that it (the CLE) “shall have responsibility for the legal education of persons seeking to become members of the legal profession” in Nigeria. Note also that the CLE has the responsibility of continuing legal education in Nigeria (under section 3).

The Nigerian Law school is the final coaching ground for all who intends to be a lawyer before they are finally called to the bar. All over the world the legal profession is widely seen and regarded as one of the noblest profession in the history of mankind. Law being one of the most dignifying and prestigious course to study in the world alongside with Medicine and Engineering most parents secretly or openly wants to have one in the family.

As the saying goes “Nothing good comes easy”, so it is in wanting to be a lawyer. To qualify as one in Nigeria, you must first of all obtain a law degree which must take you five years or more depending on certain factors like internal or external strikes or crisis seen in most higher institution in Nigeria.


Then when you are done with the battle, you will have to be admitted into the Nigerian Law School (NLS), which comprises of 6 campuses, namely: Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Kano ,Bayelsa, and Yola. All these campuses are headed by the Deputy Director-Generals.
The NLS grades her students final performance using first class, second class, pass, conditional pass and fail. The method of grading is of very peculiar in nature, in the sense that a student is graded based on his/her lowest grade in any of the courses. This simply means that if a student takes 5 courses and gets 4 As and 1C, such student automatically gets a pass grade regardless of the other As he had in other courses.

NLS, is of two parts , the Bar part 1, which is designed for those who obtained their law degrees abroad (ie foreign students), the following courses are offered in this part 1;Nigerian Legal System, Nigerian Land Law, Constitutional Law and Criminal Law. While the Bar Part II is made for both the local and foreign students. The Bar Part 1 comes before the Bar Part II. Courses for Bar part II include: Civil Procedure Law, Company Law and Commercial Practice, Law Office Management and General paper, Professional Ethics, Drafting and Conveyancing and Legal Practitioners Account.

The NLS requires much preparations, determination, focus and dedication for you to scale through. It is not a place of jamboree. Especially if you want to be hired by a top law firm, you must strive to come out with a good grade like first class or second class. Though most law firm are not after the grade, all they are interested is for you to be called to the Bar, the choice is yours.

As a law student who wants to excel in law school, you must keep to this CODE OF CONDUCT

The Legal Profession is an honorable profession and all who belong or aspire to it must exhibit that trait and strength of character. Good character is most crucial for admission to the Law School and subsequently to the Bar. The Council of Legal Education, conscious of its responsibility for the Legal Education of persons seeking to become members of the Legal Profession, and in conjunction with the Body of Benchers, responsible for regulating the practice of the in Nigeria i.e. to train for the profession disciplined gentlemen of honour, approved a code of conduct for the information and compliance of Law Students who intend to seek admission into the Nigerian Law School, qualify for the Bar, and subsequently enroll as Legal Practitioners in Nigeria.

1.0 A Law Student must be honest and of good behavior. He/She should be a responsible and reliable person.

2.0 DRESSING: All students must be well dressed at all times in Regulation Wear.

3.0 MALE: Dark suit, white shirt, black tie (not bow tie), white breast pocket handkerchief, black socks and black shoes (Sandals are not allowed). During hot weather, male students may be permitted to wear white long sleeve shirts with black tie, black trousers (charcoal grey may be allowed) and black shoes to class.

4.0 FEMALE: Dark gown or dark suit, white blouse, black skirt covering the knees and black covered shoes. (Sandals are not allowed) There should be no embroidery and or trimmings of any type on the gown, suit or blouse; and only moderate jewelry should be worn- (No large dangling or coloured earrings, or bracelets are allowed). Also, glitters or colouring of any type in the hair is prohibited. During hot weather, female students may be permitted to wear white translucent blouses (not tee-shirt), black skirts covering the knee (charcoal grey may be permitted) and black covered shoes to the class.

5.0 ALL Gowns and Skirts –

(a) Must be graceful, but not cling provocatively to the body;
(b) Must not be above the knee; and
(c) Must not have high slits (i.e. above the knee)

6.0 ALL Blouses or Shirts –
(a) Must be graceful, but not cling provocatively to the body;
(b) Must not expose sensitive parts of the body i.e. it must not expose your cleavage, upper arm stomach and/or navel.

• The above mode of dress is mandatory for both male and female Students for attending lectures and other extra Curricula activities, and for attendance at Magistrate Courts and all Superior Courts.

7.0 ATTENDANCE AT LAW SCHOOL:
Attendance at Lectures and other programmes of the school is compulsory. All lecture Attendance is taken using the THUMB PRINT DEVICES placed at both entrances of the Auditorium. The Morning Attendance is from 7.00a.m. – 9.00 a.m., while the Afternoon Attendance is immediately after the last lecture for the day.

8.0 PUNCTUALITY:
Students must be punctual for Lectures which start by 9.00a.m. All students are expected to thumb print before entering the Lecture Hall in the morning and also at the end of the last lecture for the day. In case a student has to be absent from school, a written application with necessary evidence stating the reason and number of days to be away from school should be forwarded to management, and approval must be secured before proceeding. Applications submitted after proceeding on leave will not be attended to, except emergency ca cases, and the application must be accompanied with a Medical Report.

9.0 LECTURE HALLS:
All students must enter and leave the Lecture Halls/Auditorium by the main door. Smoking, Eating and Drinking of any kind are strictly prohibited in the Auditorium and other Lecture Halls.

10.0 MOBILE PHONES:
Use of GSM and other Mobile Phones are not allowed in the Auditorium, Lecture Halls, Library, at Dinners and at all other formal events. Phones used in these places will be confiscated.

11.0 DECORUM:
This must be adhered to at all times, even when in disagreement with a staff or colleague.

12.0 LAW DINNERS:
Students must be punctual for Law Dinners and must be in Regulation Wear and observe table manners.

13.0 MATERNITY LEAVE
The school does not grant any type/form of Maternity leave, whether it is Ante natal, delivery or Post natal as contained in your Admission Letter and Students Prospectus. In consequence, any student that chooses to be pregnant in the course of the School Year, is not eligible for Maternity Leave.

14.0 EXCURSIONS OR VISITS:
No student or group of students is/are allowed to invite any outsider (individual, government, company, group etc) into the school premises for talks, Seminars lectures, Symposium etc., or pay a courtesy visit to any individual, government, company, groups etc without prior approval from the school authority. Any student or group of students that act in violation of the above may be expelled from school.

NOTE
(1) The Law School Programme is full time and as such, students must not engage in any form of employment or other occupation during their course of study at the Nigerian Law School. This includes periods of interval holidays and during the Externship Programme. Penalty for this is outright termination of studentship.

(2) Please note that there is a compulsory Biometric Data Capturing exercise for all Students. During this exercise, all your facial features, including your ears must be exposed for capturing. This is also applicable to all our female Muslim Students wearing the Hijab.

(3) All complaints should be channeled to any of the following offices for necessary action:

* Deputy Director General’s Office;
* Director of Administration’s Office; or
* Students Affairs Office

(4) Matters of great concern and/or those considered of benefit to the system may be forwarded in writing to the Deputy Director General or Director of Administration, when they are not available to grant immediate audience

 Largest library of online consumer-friendly legal products including: power of attorney, wills, living trusts, leases, promissory notes, and America’s #1 bestselling estate planning software Quicken WillMaker Plus Click here 

Codes of Coduct and Admission Into Nigerian Law School Externship Programme



The Council of Legal Education (CLE) is the only body entitled or legally empowered to prescribe conditions or additional pre-conditions for admission into the Nigerian Law School. Section 1 (1) of the Legal Education (Consolidation) Act, 1976 establishes the CLE (Council of Legal Education) as a body corporate”with perpetual succession and a common seal.” Section 1 (2) then provides that it (the CLE) “shall have responsibility for the legal education of persons seeking to become members of the legal profession” in Nigeria. Note also that the CLE has the responsibility of continuing legal education in Nigeria (under section 3).

The Nigerian Law school is the final coaching ground for all who intends to be a lawyer before they are finally called to the bar. All over the world the legal profession is widely seen and regarded as one of the noblest profession in the history of mankind. Law being one of the most dignifying and prestigious course to study in the world alongside with Medicine and Engineering most parents secretly or openly wants to have one in the family.

As the saying goes “Nothing good comes easy”, so it is in wanting to be a lawyer. To qualify as one in Nigeria, you must first of all obtain a law degree which must take you five years or more depending on certain factors like internal or external strikes or crisis seen in most higher institution in Nigeria.


Then when you are done with the battle, you will have to be admitted into the Nigerian Law School (NLS), which comprises of 6 campuses, namely: Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Kano ,Bayelsa, and Yola. All these campuses are headed by the Deputy Director-Generals.
The NLS grades her students final performance using first class, second class, pass, conditional pass and fail. The method of grading is of very peculiar in nature, in the sense that a student is graded based on his/her lowest grade in any of the courses. This simply means that if a student takes 5 courses and gets 4 As and 1C, such student automatically gets a pass grade regardless of the other As he had in other courses.

NLS, is of two parts , the Bar part 1, which is designed for those who obtained their law degrees abroad (ie foreign students), the following courses are offered in this part 1;Nigerian Legal System, Nigerian Land Law, Constitutional Law and Criminal Law. While the Bar Part II is made for both the local and foreign students. The Bar Part 1 comes before the Bar Part II. Courses for Bar part II include: Civil Procedure Law, Company Law and Commercial Practice, Law Office Management and General paper, Professional Ethics, Drafting and Conveyancing and Legal Practitioners Account.

The NLS requires much preparations, determination, focus and dedication for you to scale through. It is not a place of jamboree. Especially if you want to be hired by a top law firm, you must strive to come out with a good grade like first class or second class. Though most law firm are not after the grade, all they are interested is for you to be called to the Bar, the choice is yours.

As a law student who wants to excel in law school, you must keep to this CODE OF CONDUCT

The Legal Profession is an honorable profession and all who belong or aspire to it must exhibit that trait and strength of character. Good character is most crucial for admission to the Law School and subsequently to the Bar. The Council of Legal Education, conscious of its responsibility for the Legal Education of persons seeking to become members of the Legal Profession, and in conjunction with the Body of Benchers, responsible for regulating the practice of the in Nigeria i.e. to train for the profession disciplined gentlemen of honour, approved a code of conduct for the information and compliance of Law Students who intend to seek admission into the Nigerian Law School, qualify for the Bar, and subsequently enroll as Legal Practitioners in Nigeria.

1.0 A Law Student must be honest and of good behavior. He/She should be a responsible and reliable person.

2.0 DRESSING: All students must be well dressed at all times in Regulation Wear.

3.0 MALE: Dark suit, white shirt, black tie (not bow tie), white breast pocket handkerchief, black socks and black shoes (Sandals are not allowed). During hot weather, male students may be permitted to wear white long sleeve shirts with black tie, black trousers (charcoal grey may be allowed) and black shoes to class.

4.0 FEMALE: Dark gown or dark suit, white blouse, black skirt covering the knees and black covered shoes. (Sandals are not allowed) There should be no embroidery and or trimmings of any type on the gown, suit or blouse; and only moderate jewelry should be worn- (No large dangling or coloured earrings, or bracelets are allowed). Also, glitters or colouring of any type in the hair is prohibited. During hot weather, female students may be permitted to wear white translucent blouses (not tee-shirt), black skirts covering the knee (charcoal grey may be permitted) and black covered shoes to the class.

5.0 ALL Gowns and Skirts –

(a) Must be graceful, but not cling provocatively to the body;
(b) Must not be above the knee; and
(c) Must not have high slits (i.e. above the knee)

6.0 ALL Blouses or Shirts –
(a) Must be graceful, but not cling provocatively to the body;
(b) Must not expose sensitive parts of the body i.e. it must not expose your cleavage, upper arm stomach and/or navel.

• The above mode of dress is mandatory for both male and female Students for attending lectures and other extra Curricula activities, and for attendance at Magistrate Courts and all Superior Courts.

7.0 ATTENDANCE AT LAW SCHOOL:
Attendance at Lectures and other programmes of the school is compulsory. All lecture Attendance is taken using the THUMB PRINT DEVICES placed at both entrances of the Auditorium. The Morning Attendance is from 7.00a.m. – 9.00 a.m., while the Afternoon Attendance is immediately after the last lecture for the day.

8.0 PUNCTUALITY:
Students must be punctual for Lectures which start by 9.00a.m. All students are expected to thumb print before entering the Lecture Hall in the morning and also at the end of the last lecture for the day. In case a student has to be absent from school, a written application with necessary evidence stating the reason and number of days to be away from school should be forwarded to management, and approval must be secured before proceeding. Applications submitted after proceeding on leave will not be attended to, except emergency ca cases, and the application must be accompanied with a Medical Report.

9.0 LECTURE HALLS:
All students must enter and leave the Lecture Halls/Auditorium by the main door. Smoking, Eating and Drinking of any kind are strictly prohibited in the Auditorium and other Lecture Halls.

10.0 MOBILE PHONES:
Use of GSM and other Mobile Phones are not allowed in the Auditorium, Lecture Halls, Library, at Dinners and at all other formal events. Phones used in these places will be confiscated.

11.0 DECORUM:
This must be adhered to at all times, even when in disagreement with a staff or colleague.

12.0 LAW DINNERS:
Students must be punctual for Law Dinners and must be in Regulation Wear and observe table manners.

13.0 MATERNITY LEAVE
The school does not grant any type/form of Maternity leave, whether it is Ante natal, delivery or Post natal as contained in your Admission Letter and Students Prospectus. In consequence, any student that chooses to be pregnant in the course of the School Year, is not eligible for Maternity Leave.

14.0 EXCURSIONS OR VISITS:
No student or group of students is/are allowed to invite any outsider (individual, government, company, group etc) into the school premises for talks, Seminars lectures, Symposium etc., or pay a courtesy visit to any individual, government, company, groups etc without prior approval from the school authority. Any student or group of students that act in violation of the above may be expelled from school.

NOTE
(1) The Law School Programme is full time and as such, students must not engage in any form of employment or other occupation during their course of study at the Nigerian Law School. This includes periods of interval holidays and during the Externship Programme. Penalty for this is outright termination of studentship.

(2) Please note that there is a compulsory Biometric Data Capturing exercise for all Students. During this exercise, all your facial features, including your ears must be exposed for capturing. This is also applicable to all our female Muslim Students wearing the Hijab.

(3) All complaints should be channeled to any of the following offices for necessary action:

* Deputy Director General’s Office;
* Director of Administration’s Office; or
* Students Affairs Office

(4) Matters of great concern and/or those considered of benefit to the system may be forwarded in writing to the Deputy Director General or Director of Administration, when they are not available to grant immediate audience

 Largest library of online consumer-friendly legal products including: power of attorney, wills, living trusts, leases, promissory notes, and America’s #1 bestselling estate planning software Quicken WillMaker Plus Click here 

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Marriage Rights and Benefits - Learn some of the legal and practical ways that getting married changes your life.

Whether or not you favor marriage as a social institution, there's no denying that it confers many rights, protections, and benefits--both legal and practical. Some of these vary from state to state, but the list typically includes:

Tax Benefits

  • Filing joint income tax returns with the IRS and state taxing authorities.
  • Creating a "family partnership" under federal tax laws, which allows you to divide business income among family members.

Estate Planning Benefits

  • Inheriting a share of your spouse's estate.
  • Receiving an exemption from both estate taxes and gift taxes for all property you give or leave to your spouse.
  • Creating life estate trusts that are restricted to married couples, including QTIP trustsQDOT trusts and marital deduction trusts.
  • Obtaining priority if your spouse needs a conservator--that is, someone to make financial or medical decisions on your spouse's behalf.

Government Benefits

  • Receiving Social Security, Medicare, and disability benefits for spouses.
  • Receiving veterans' and military benefits for spouses, such as those for education, medical care, or special loans.
  • Receiving public assistance benefits.

Employment Benefits

  • Obtaining insurance benefits through a spouse's employer.
  • Taking family leave to care for your spouse during an illness.
  • Receiving wages, workers' compensation, and retirement plan benefits for a deceased spouse.
  • Taking bereavement leave if your spouse or one of your spouse's close relatives dies.

Medical Benefits

  • Visiting your spouse in a hospital intensive care unit or during restricted visiting hours in other parts of a medical facility.
  • Making medical decisions if your spouse becomes incapacitated and unable to express wishes for treatment.

Death Benefits

  • Consenting to after-death examinations and procedures.
  • Making burial or other final arrangements.

Family Benefits

  • Filing for stepparent or joint adoption.
  • Applying for joint foster care rights.
  • Receivin a share of marital property if you divorce.
  • Receiving spousal or child supportchild custody, and visitation if you divorce.

Housing Benefits

  • Living in neighborhoods zoned for "families only."
  • Automatically renewing leases signed by your spouse.

Consumer Benefits

  • Receiving family rates for health, homeowners', auto, and other types of insurance.
  • Receiving tuition discounts and permission to use school facilities.
  • Other consumer discounts and incentives offered only to married couples or families.

Other Legal Benefits and Protections

  • Suing a third person for wrongful death of your spouse and loss of consortium (loss of intimacy).
  • Suing a third person for offenses that interfere with the success of your marriage, such as alienation of affection and criminal conversation (these laws are available in only a few states).
  • Claiming the marital communications privilege, which means a court can't force you to disclose the contents of confidential communications made between you and your spouse during your marriage.
  • Receiving crime victims' recovery benefits if your spouse is the victim of a crime.
  • Obtaining immigration and residency benefits for noncitizen spouse.
  • Visiting rights in jails and other places where visitors are restricted to immediate family.

Same-Sex Marriage, Civil Unions, and Domestic Partnerships

On June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court decided the historic Obergefell case and ruled that same-sex marriage bans are unconstitutional, and same-sex couples can legally marry anywhere in the United States. If you are in a same-sex marriage, your unioin will be legally recognized everywhere in the United States, and you are entitled to all of the same state and federal benefits as opposite-sex married couples.  
However, these rules do not apply to unmarried couples that have established either a domestic partnership or civil union. If you are in either of these two marriage-alternative unions, none of the benefits of marriage under federal law will apply to you, because the federal government does not recognize these same-sex relationships. For example, you may not file joint federal income tax returns with your partner, even if your state allows you to file your state tax returns jointly. And other federal benefits, such as Social Security death benefits and COBRA continuation insurance coverage, may not apply.
To learn more about the rights and benefits available to same-sex couples, consult a lawyer with expertise in this area and see Making It Legal:A Guide to Same-Sex Marriage, Domestic Partnerships & Civil Unions, by Frederick Hertz with Emily Doskow (Nolo).

Getting Married?

If you are considering getting married, check out Nolo's free articles on marriage requirements and prenuptial agreements.

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Lawyering Smarter With Web-Based Technology – OlayinkaOyelamiCorporation (OOCORP)

Lawering Smater With Technology explains how ‘increasingly capable systems’ — from telepresence to artificial intelligence — will bring fundamental change in the way that the ‘practical expertise’ of layerss is made available in society.  The ‘grand bargain  arrangement that grants various monopolies to today’s lawyers that our current justice sytem are antiquated, opaque and no longer affordable, and that the expertise of their best is enjoyed only by a few.

Lawyering Smarter With Web-Based Technology – OlayinkaOyelamiCorporation (OOCORP)

Monday, August 29, 2016

Legal process outsourcing, courtroom technology, access to justice, e-learning for lawyers

This widely acclaimed legal bestseller has provoked a tidal wave of debate within the legal profession, being hailed as an inspiration by some and as heresy by others. Susskind lays down a challenge to all lawyers, and indeed all those in a professional service environment. He urges them to ask themselves, with their hands on their hearts, what elements of their current workload could be undertaken differently - more quickly, cheaply, efficiently, or to a higher quality - using alternative methods of working. The challenge for legal readers is to identify their distinctive skills and talents, the capabilities that they possess that cannot, crudely, be replaced by advanced systems or by less costly workers supported by technology or standard processes, or by lay people armed with online self-help tools. 

In the extended new preface to this revised paperback edition, Richard Susskind updates his views on legal process outsourcing, courtroom technology, access to justice, e-learning for lawyers, and the impact of the recession on the practice of law. He analyzes the four main pressures that lawyers now face (to charge less, to work differently, to embrace technology, and to deregulate), and reveals common fallacies associated with each. And, in an entirely new line of thinking, Susskind argues that law firms and in-house departments will have four business models from which to choose in the future, and he provides some new tools and techniques to help lawyers plan for their future.

Susskind argues that the market is increasingly unlikely to tolerate expensive lawyers for tasks (guiding, advising, drafting, researching, problem-solving, and more) that can equally or better be discharged, directly or indirectly, by smart systems and processes. It follows, the book claims, that the jobs of many traditional lawyers will be substantially eroded and often eliminated. Two forces propel the legal profession towards this scenario: a market pull towards commoditisation and a pervasive development and uptake of information technology. At the same time, the book foresees new law jobs emerging which may be highly rewarding, even if very different from those of today. 

The End of Lawyers represents a compelling vision of the future of the legal profession and a must-read for all lawyers. Indeed this book should be read by all those whose work touches on the law, and it offers much food for thought for anyone working in a professional environment. Read more...OlayinkaOyelamiCorporation (OOCORP) – …Insights into global business building strategies