CLERKSHIP REPORT FOR DIPLOMA 2.
1 2024/2025
NAME: AGABA MWINE ABAASA
REGISTRATION NO: 2024-04-25165
COURSE: DIPLOMA IN LAW
YEAR OF STUDY: 2.1
INSTITUTION NAME: KAMPALA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY-
WESTERN CAMPUS
NAME OF THE LAW FIRM: PAUL TUSUBIRA CO & ADVOCATES.
LOCATION: LIBARETION ROAD PLOT NO. 28
PERIOD OF CLERKSHIP: 27TH JANUARY, 2025 – 17TH APRIL, 2025
DATE OF SUBMISSION: 24TH APRIL, 2025
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who supported me
throughout my clerkship experience.
First and foremost, I extend my heartfelt thanks to my supervisor at Paul
Tusubira Co. & Advocates, Senior Counsel Tusubira who is all the University
law, for the valuable guidance, mentorship, and constant support during my
time at the firm. Your patience, encouragement, and willingness to share
knowledge greatly enriched my learning experience.
I am also grateful to the staff and administrators at the law firm especially th
Office Clerk Miss Mercy for welcoming me warmly and creating a professional
and friendly environment that enabled me to learn effectively. Your
cooperation and assistance in various tasks made my clerkship both
educational and enjoyable.
I would like to appreciate the efforts of the university staff and lecturers,
especially those from School of Law at Kampala International University, for
preparing us with the foundational knowledge and skills needed for practical
legal work. Your continuous support and mentorship made this clerkship
possible.
Finally, I acknowledge the support of the administration at the University,
whose coordination and facilitation of the clerkship program ensured a smooth
experience from beginning to end.
To all who contributed in one way or another, I am truly thankful
TABLE OF CONTENT.
1.Introduction
2.Objectives of the clerkship
3.Activities done
4.Skills and knowledge Acquired
5.Challenges encountered.
6.Conclusion
7.Recommendations
1. INTRODUCTION
This report provides a comprehensive account of my clerkship experience at
Paul Tusubira Co. & Advocates, commenced 27th January, 2025 to 17th April,
2025 as part of the academic requirements for the Diploma in Laws program at
Kampala International University Western Campus. The primary objective of
this clerkship was to expose me to the practical workings of the legal system,
enhance my understanding of professional legal practice, and allow me to
apply the legal knowledge and skills acquired during my course of study.
During this period, I was involved in a variety of legal tasks including drafting
legal documents, conducting legal research, attending court sessions, handling
client interactions, and assisting in case preparations. The experience
significantly broadened my understanding of the legal profession, improved
my analytical and communication skills, and strengthened my appreciation of
legal ethics and professional responsibility.
This report provides for all my experiences, responsibilities, skills gained,
challenges encountered, and the lessons learned throughout the clerkship. It
also offers personal reflections and recommendations aimed at enhancing
future clerkship programs for law students.
2. OBJECTIVES OF THE CLERKSHIP
Practical application of theoretical knowledge.
The main objective of this clerkship was to relate the theoretical work with
practical work especially civil procedure, criminal procedure, and law of
evidence. In civil procedure we learnt to draft plaints, summons, petitions
and mediation summaries. While in criminal procedure steps taken to apply
for bail.
Development of Practical Legal Skills.
This clerkship too was to help us develop vital legal supports skills for
example filing and organising legal documents, taking minutes and notes in
legal meetings, basic legal research, drafting simple legal documents like
plaints, affidavits, wills and notices, customer care and communication with
clients that is translation where clients are not familiar with the official
language English.
Exposure to legal and Judicial Systems.
This field attachment also helped us to acquire knowledge now how court
systems operate, how cases are scheduled, how registries work both Chief
Magistrates Registries and High Court Registries work and the flow of a
court case from filing to judgement.
In this too, we practically see the hierarchy of courts and their roles played
by different officers of the court that is from the High Court Judge, to the
Magistrate and the mediators too.
Introduction to Legal Ethics and Professional Conduct.
This clerkship also was to exposure to the ethical responsibilities expected
in the law field, such as confidentiality which is very important, respect for
court procedures and appropriate behaviour when dealing with clients and
superiors such as the justices, Judges, magistrates.
Career Orientation and Readiness.
The clerkship was to prepare us to entry level roles in the legal sector such
as office clerks, court clerks, paralegals or legal assistants. This was to help
us understand what is expected in a real work environment and how to
adapt professionally.
3. ACTIVITIES DONE
Office Attendance.
We always had to attend office which the scheduled timed was from
8:00am to 5:00pm. This is to let you know that from this office is where
we were always tasked to do some work for the office to assist the
Office clerk which was also done under her supervision.
Uganda Revenue Authority Assessment.
According to the Judicature (Court fees) Rules and the Stamps Act, it is a
legal requirement that certain payments be made before the court
actions proceed. Failure to present proof of the Uganda Revenue
Assessment payment may result in rejection or delay of filing. this is a
crucial activity that was required to do before any filing which was done
for every that was going be opened in court.
Filing of cases.
We were tasked to file cases where we did payments of all filing fees
and proceeded to court to file with respective registries those where
Chief Magistrates and High Court Registries. In these registries we learnt
that its where the cases and summons are approved only by the Judicial
Officers and they are given dates by the Registrars.
Court Attendance.
We attended court sessions which included sessions in Courts that is
Mbarara, Bushenyi and Kasese High and Magistrates Courts to
witnessed criminal and civil sessions in these we witnessed how
judgements are taken. Civil sessions included land cases and attendance
of an industrial court which is based at Mbarara High Court.
Drafting of documents.
We drafted a number of documents as per the client lawyer attorney
requests. These documents included plaints, affidavits of services,
mediation summons, summons and wills.
It is to be noted that we drafted with documents under the guidance of
Office Clerk Madam Mercy.
File Translation.
We helped with translation of files where we did translate a few files
which was always a common activity. This is also to be noted that we
also translated from some clients who basically couldn’t the Official
Language which is English.
4. SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE ACQUIRED FROM THE CLERKSHIP.
Professionalism and punctuality.
The clerkship trained us the discipline of reporting to work on time and
maintaining professional conduct while in a legal environment. We
earned a skill of task management such as handling legal office tasks like
diary management, follow-up on files and organising legal documents.
We also learned how to communicate formally and respectfully with
supervisors, colleagues and clients.
With this we became familiar with how law firms, chambers and legal
departments function, understood the hierarchy and responsibilities of
advocates, legal assistants, court clerks and support staff.
Online platform Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) Filing Fees Payment.
The clerkship trained us how to navigate Uganda Revenue Authority’s
web portal to generate Payment Registration Numbers (PRNs) which
were always used to assess and confirm correct court filing fees based
on the type of case and court.
In this we understood the link between tax/ revenue authorities and the
judiciary and learned what payments are necessary for court processes
and the legal implications of non-compliance.
Case Registration and Client File Preparation.
The clerkship that too trained us how to file pleadings and other
documents in courts of law, following proper procedure. Skills in
organising case files with required documents like plaints, affidavits and
receipts. In this, we understood that the differences between Magistrate
Courts, High Courts and other divisions and became aware of steps
involved in initiating both civil and criminal actions.
Legal Draftsmanship and Legal Language and format.
The clerkship exposed us to drafting documents like plaints, affidavits,
agreements, demand notices and responses to legal claims. The use of
appropriate legal terminologies and formats used in legal writing. In this
we understood the difference between substantive law and procedural
law which how the law applies to situations when preparing documents,
the function of documents in initiating, defending and settling legal
disputes.
Client Handling Skills, Teamwork and collaboration.
We developed interpersonal skills in interviewing and advising clients
under supervision. Working in a legal team provides insights into
cooperation and case strategy discussions.
5. CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED WHILE IN CLERKSHIP.
Limited Time for Acquiring internship placement letters.
We faced a challenge of finding place of clerkship due to fact that we
received the letters late and that to limited to areas that is to say we
were limited to stay close in the same district with the University which
made it difficult for us to find places due to issues like rejection by some
firms. More so, being limited to one town limited us from gaining more
information.
Inadequate Supervision and Mentorship.
Some supervisors were sometimes too busy to provide proper guidance,
feedback, or explanations of tasks. This would lead us perform tasks
incorrectly or fail to understand the legal principles behind them,
limiting our learning. The lack of consistent supervision and mentorship
during the clerkship significantly hindered our ability to grasp practical
legal skills and apply theoretical knowledge in real-world settings.
Without proper guidance, students often operated on assumptions,
leading to mistakes in task execution and a shallow understanding of
legal procedures. This not only affected our confidence but also limited
our professional growth, as we missed out on valuable insights,
constructive feedback, and mentorship that are essential for nurturing
competent legal practitioners.
Lack of Access to Legal Resources.
The Law firm had limited legal texts, outdated law reports, or no
internet access for research which made us struggle to research case
law, legislation, or precedents, affecting our understanding of
assignments. The absence of adequate legal resources greatly restricted
our ability to conduct effective legal research. With limited access to
current law reports, statutes, and online databases, we often relied on
outdated or incomplete information. This negatively impacted the
quality of our legal drafting and analysis, leading to gaps in our
understanding of case law and statutory interpretation. Ultimately, this
hindered our ability to develop strong research skills and affected our
preparedness for real legal practice.
Language Barriers
When dealing with documents or clients who use local languages,
students may struggle if they are not fluent.
This can affect their ability to translate documents accurately or
communicate effectively with clients. Language barriers significantly
limited our ability to engage fully in legal processes that involved clients
or documents in local languages. Inaccurate translation of legal
documents could lead to misinterpretation of facts or legal positions,
which in turn affects the quality of pleadings or submissions.
Additionally, difficulty in communicating with clients reduced our
effectiveness in client interviews, compromised client trust, and limited
our ability to gather complete and accurate information—an essential
part of legal practice.
Limited Technological Skills.
I lacked familiarity with legal software or online platforms like the URA
portal or e-filing systems. This slowed down my performance and
created dependency on others for tasks that require digital skills.
Limited technological skills hampered my efficiency and independence
during the clerkship. My unfamiliarity with essential digital tools—such
as the URA portal and court e-filing systems—meant I had to rely heavily
on others for basic tasks. This not only slowed down workflow but also
reduced my confidence in handling routine legal procedures.
Additionally, it placed me at a disadvantage in a legal environment that
increasingly relies on digital platforms for filing, communication, and
research.
6. CONCLUSION.
The clerkship experience is a critical component of legal education for
Diploma in Law students in Uganda. It serves as a bridge between
theoretical knowledge and practical application, equipping students with
essential skills such as office management, legal drafting, case filing, fee
payment through the Uganda Revenue Authority, and file translation. These
skills not only enhance their competence but also prepare them to operate
effectively within the Ugandan legal system. However, despite its
significance, the clerkship process is not without challenges. Issues such as
limited time for acquiring internship placement letters, inadequate
supervision, lack of access to legal resources and technological gaps hinder
the full realization of clerkship objectives. These challenges, if left
unaddressed, may diminish the quality of legal training and demoralize
students at a critical stage of their professional development. To overcome
these barriers, a coordinated effort is required between legal education
institutions, host organizations, and regulatory bodies. Standardizing
clerkship procedures, providing proper supervision, equipping students
with digital and language skills, and supporting them financially will
significantly improve the clerkship experience. Moreover, integrating ethics
training and mentorship programs will instil professionalism and integrity,
which are the cornerstones of legal practice. In sum, when properly
structured and supported, the clerkship becomes not only a learning
exercise but also a transformative journey that molds competent, ethical,
and practice-ready legal professionals. It is therefore imperative that all
stakeholders invest in making the clerkship a more meaningful and
impactful phase of legal training in Uganda.
7. RECOMMENDATION.
To improve the quality and effectiveness of the clerkship program for
Diploma in Law students in Uganda, it is recommended that legal training
institutions, in partnership with the Uganda Law Council and host
organisations, develop a well supervised clerkship framework. This
framework should clearly outline the work, responsibilities and anticipated
learning outcomes for both students and supervisors to ensure consistency
across different placements. More so, institutions should provide students
with the pre-clerkship training that includes digital literacy (for example
how to use the URA portal and court e-filing systems), basic legal research h
techniques and practical communication skills in both English and the
native languages. This preparation will equip students to perform better
and independently during their placements.
Furthermore, law schools and host organisations should work together to
ensure that students have access to updated legal resources and are
assigned meaningful legal tasks under close mentorship. By implementing
these measures, the clerkship can become a more impactful and rewarding
component of legal education in Uganda.
COMPILED BY;
………………………………..
AGABA MWINE ABAASA
2024-04-25165
DIL 2.1
