The School of Law has been operational for over forty years and continues to enjoy recognition not only as one of the oldest schools in the University but also as the most prestigious law school in the country. The School has during its existence educated and graduated the bulk of our prominent lawyers currently in Government and the private sector. Many of its alumni also enjoy recognition as outstanding scholars in the diaspora.
Despite its many successes however the School has faced many challenges attributable to a growing student body without a corresponding increase in resources. In order to overcome these challenges, the School held a National Colloquium on the future of legal education in Zambia in April 2008. The hugely successful Colloquium brought together many of its alumni from within the country and abroad. The Colloquium agreed on various activities to revive the School’s fortunes many of which will come to fruition in the next year or two. These include the modernization and expansion of the School’s curriculum; the creation of two departments – one of Public and the other of Private Law; the re-activation of the Staff Development Programme (already operational); the re-introduction of a taught masters programme; and general improvements in the management and delivery of the LLB and LLM programmes. In the long-term, the School with the support of its Alumni and other well-wishers hopes to construct its own building.
As the School begins the new academic year, it is excited to take the first challenging steps towards realizing its goal of creating a modern, dynamic and quality driven institution that plays a leading role in the delivery of legal education in Zambia. Find herebelow some basic information about the School and its programmes.
Historical Review
The programme of legal education at the University of Zambia commenced at the beginning of the second academic session of the University in March 1967, with a class of thirty-seven students. Formal recognition as one of the Schools of the University was accorded to the School of Law on 1st July 1967. read more
Vision
In line with the vision of the University of Zambia under its 2018-2022 Strategic Plan, the vision of the School is to be a world class research, teaching and learning institution, driven by the pursuit of knowledge, innovation and social responsiveness.
Mission
The School’s mission, in line with the University’s mission, is to provide relevant innovative and demand-driven higher legal education for sustainable socio-economic development.
Core values
In line with the University’s Strategic Plan 2018-2022 the School’s core values are:
- Academic Freedom
- Excellence
- Innovativeness
- Eco- Friendliness
- Integrity
- Equity
- Social justice; and
- Social responsiveness
Role of School in the University
The School enjoys a symbiotic relationship with the University. On the one hand, the School is hosted by and derives much of its recognition from the University and on the other hand, the School’s reputation brings a certain amount of prestige to the University. This relationship is enjoyed through the provision of financial and advisory services provided by the School to various institutions within the University.
Major Achievements
The School continues to enjoy recognition not only as one of the oldest schools in the University but also as the oldest and most prestigious law School in the country. Among the School’s achievements is the large number of law graduates it has produced to meet the human resource needs in the country and in the sub-region not to mention further afield. read more...
Public Service
The most important public service initiative undertaken by the School was the introduction of an Evening Programme to cater for persons who are unable for one reason or another to enter the School through the University quota system. On a smaller scale, the ZAMLII site has provided free access to many legal materials such as court judgments.
The School is occasionally involved in paralegal training programmes for various organizations. However the School’s individual lecturers are engaged in several legal aid activities by virtue of their professional connections.
