Abstract
The study examined the influence of legal research competency on research effectiveness among Nigerian Law School Students. The study was guided by three research questions and two hypotheses. Descriptive survey design was adopted. The population of the study comprised all 3722 law school students across the Abuja, Lagos and Kano campuses of the Nigerian Law School, from which a sample size of 348 students was selected. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered online through Google Forms, with a response rate of 84.78%. The data were analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, mean, and standard deviation, while Pearson's Product–Moment Correlation (PPMC) was employed to test the relationship. Findings revealed that Nigerian Law School students possess high levels of legal research competency and research effectiveness. The test of hypotheses revealed legal research competency had no significant effect on students' research effectiveness. The study concludes that external factors such as instructional methods, research supervision, and institutional support may be more decisive drivers of research outcomes than technical skills alone. The study therefore recommends that the Nigerian Law School implement hands-on, practice-based training, including structured workshops and real-life problem-solving tasks. Such initiatives are necessary to bridge the gap between students' theoretical competence and practical research effectiveness.
Keywords: Legal Research Competency, Research Effectiveness, Nigerian Law School
Publication Date: 2026-07-31