His Lordship, Hon. Justice Isaac J. Essien hails from Ikot Imoh in Nsit Ubium Local Government Council of Akwa Ibom State, South-South Nigeria. 

He started his education at the Government Primary School Enwe Street Uyo, where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate and Eastern Secondary School Calabar, Cross-River state for secondary Education.

Having recognized early in life that education is the only veritable tool to attain a lofty height; Justice Essien gained admission into the prestigious University of Uyo, Faculty of Law and graduated in 1994 with an LL. B.

Furthermore, he proceeded to the Nigerian Law School, Lagos study centre and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1995 as advocate and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and was posted to Jos, Plateau State for Compulsory National Service (NYSC) in 1996.

Succinctly, in fulfilment of his passion for academics and to be fully acquainted with Law, Justice Essien bagged Master of Laws at the University of Jos.

Not satisfied with his academic pursuit, Justice Essien was admitted to pursue a Ph.D programme at the prestigious University of Jos, and after 5 years of rigorous academic research, he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of Law (PhD) by the Senate of the institution after finding him worthy excellence in learning and character in 2008. 

Justice Essien got the appointment of Nasarawa State University as a Lecturer at the Faculty of Law and rose through the ranks to Senior Lecturer in 2011 and by October 2014 he was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor of Law. 

While at the Nasarawa State University, he served as Head of Department of Business and Private Law and has published many books in the area of labour and Industrial Relations Law.

Justice Essien also taught at the faculty of law, University of Jos and University of Uyo as an adjunct visiting lecturer between 2008 to 2011.

As an astute legal practitioner, he was appointment to the Bench as a Judge of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria and was sworn-in by the then Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice W. S. Onnoghen in 2017.

Justice Essien presently presided over matters at the Lagos Judicial division of the Court and has delivered many laudable Judgments and Rulings.