Halt downturn in ethical standards of legal profession , CJN charges Body of Benchers
By Andrew Orolua
The Chief Justice of Nigeria CJN, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun on Wednesday charged the Body of Benchers to halt the downturn in the ethical standards of the legal profession in Nigeria.
She gave the task as the chairperson of the inaugural edition of the Body of Benchers annual lecture and the
public presentation of the Body of Benchers Law Report.
The CJN said is essential and urgent for the lecture to address challenges and future prospects of the Body; evaluating the ethical standards of the legal profession in Nigeria .
“To ensure the highest levels of discipline, integrity, and professional responsibility among lawyers; and presenting a forward-looking agenda for strengthening the legal profession while enhancing public confidence in the judiciary and legal practice.”
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Justice Kekere-Ekun who took a critical look into the practice of law in Nigeria, lamented the downturn in the adherence to ethical principles in the legal profession.
She noted with regret that strict adherence to ethical principles in the legal profession and society at large was not only dwindling but facing serious challenges.
To address the trend, Justice Kekere-Ekun canvassed an urgent need for law practitioners to recommit themselves to the fundamental values of ethics, discipline, and professional responsibility.
“It is instructive to note that the Body of Benchers, as the apex institution of the legal profession in Nigeria, is uniquely positioned to lead the charge in this regard,” she said..
‘The responsibility of upholding the legal profession’s sanctity rests heavily on its shoulders, and I have no doubt that the
Body will continue to rise to the occasion.
“The enforcement of professional discipline among legal practitioners, through the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), is a vital function that must be pursued with fairness, transparency, and unwavering resolve.
She commended the Chairman of the Body of Benchers, Chief Adegboyega Solomon Awomolo, SAN and the entire members of the Body for their foresight and dedication in initiating the lecture.
According to the CJN, the lecture was not only a testament to the progressive evolution of the Body but also a much-needed platform for intellectual engagement, practical discourse, and introspective reflections on the role of the Body of Benchers within the legal profession in Nigeria.
She observed that the lecture initiative was conceived as an annual event to serve multiple purposes, including illuminating the workings of the Body of Benchers both nationally and internationally to foster greater understanding of its critical role in legal practice and professional discipline; providing a forum for robust, critical, and well-researched discussions on the successes.
She pleaded that the initiative be sustained and expanded and should not only serve as an avenue for reflection and discourse but also as a mechanism for setting clear benchmarks for professional ethics, continuous legal education and justice sector reforms.
This maiden edition of the annual lecture, with the theme:“Half-A-Century of the Body of Benchers: The Past, The Present, and The Future of Maintaining the Ethics of the Legal Profession in Nigeria”, is to be delivered by a former governor of Lagos State and Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN, Babatunde Raji Fashola.
