Recently, I was invited to be part of the Continuing Legal Education Seminar organized by the Young Lawyers’ Forum of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ilorin Branch.
The theme of the seminar centred on legal practice and the role of information and communication technology, ICT.
The joy I felt was immeasurable when I got the invitation and especially when I saw the theme.
Because, and of a truth, I have always been of the view that the legal profession especially in this part of the world needs to employ the use of technology to improve service delivery and justice delivery. The use of technology will no doubt make legal practice effective and ensure a better and faster result-oriented legal system.
For me, everybody involved in legal practice and justice dispensation needs to embrace technology.
I have always advocated the need to introduce technology as a course in both our Universities and the Law School. This will ensure a total recalibration of the entire legal system for a more productive justice sector that will better enjoy the confidence of the end users.
For example, court proceedings ought to be electronically recorded and record of proceedings issued immediately after every proceeding. This will drastically reduce the length of time spent per proceeding, and will lead to speedy dispensation of justice. It will equally lessen the burden on judges and justices as well as registrars of each court.
Similarly, the High Courts of states can have websites where cause lists are uploaded to keep lawyers abreast of their court cases and proceedings.
Through these websites, lawyers will be notified whether courts will sit or not, and lawyer can served letters of adjournment.
Filing of court cases can become electronic and service of processes can become electronic too.
The world is evolving, and law practice cannot be left behind.
One of the main complaint against the justice delivery system in Nigeria is the fact that, it is very slow. Thus, the use of technology will improve and ensure effective justice delivery and I strongly urge operators of the Nigerian legal system to take the bull by its horn.
Dhikrullah Adewale Balogun (DAB) Vice Chairman, NBA Ilorin Branch.
