Launch Of The Young Lawyers Mentorship Programme At Golden Tulip Hotel On The 4th March 2019

Centre for Public Interest Law in partnership with Uganda Law Society have today Monday the 4thday of March 2019, hosted a breakfast meeting and launched a young lawyer’s mentorship programme at Golden Tulip Hotel. It is envisioned that the mentorship program will equip the young lawyers with the skills and exposure required to grow in the profession.

The meeting was graced by many senior legal practitioners and officiated by the Deputy Chief Justice of Uganda; Hon. Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo.

Mr. Simon Peter Kinobe, President Uganda Law Society noted the fact that mentorship is the key to extra ordinary success and plays a key role in making one bigger and better. He also emphasized the importance of faithfulness and integrity in the legal profession and concluded by advising the young lawyers to seek out the mentors. ‘For you to be a hard brick, you have to go through the furnace”

Rita Namakiika, an advocate shared her 6 months life changing experience of being formally mentored. Through her mentorship she gained three major things which are self-awareness, personal and professional growth and networking. These have helped her grow professionally and she has started her own firm as a result. She too, encouraged the participants to embrace the programme.

Deputy Chief Justice Hon. Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo then gave remarks and launched the manual for the mentorship programme. The remarks were a combination of his experience and advice to the lawyers. These were the highlights;

  • The mentorship can be done either formally or informally even by a person you do not know personally
  • In any profession, you must have your 40 years before you reach the promised land therefore, we must learn to work hard to achieve the success
  • Mentorship is not just about the positives, we can learn what not to do.
  • Always be prepared and organized. He shared a story about the first car he owned, he got it becausehe performed well, a judicial officer recognized him and recommended him to a client who gave it to him as a result of handling his case so well.
  • Being unprofessional is criminal conduct
  • He urged the senior lawyers to nature young lawyers that they meet in their interactions. By the time a lawyer impresses a court of appeal panel, the magistrate and the judge must have helped him
  • Never take any case personal
  • Never make rush decisions
  • Never call a judge to say you will not be in time
  • Be trustworthy

He concluded by saying he is willing to mentor so that you don’t follow the bad things he has done.

Centre for Public Interest Law in partnership with Uganda Law Society have today Monday the 4thday of March 2019, hosted a breakfast meeting and