There is an urgent need to arrest the ethical misconduct that has crept into the legal profession, former Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) canvassed on Wednesday.
The former Minister of Works got the backing of Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Kudirat Kekere-Ekun and Chairman of the Body of Benchers (BOB), Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN).
They spoke at the maiden annual lecture of the Body of Benchers (BOB) and the presentation of the report of the directions of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) in Abuja.
Fashola, who was keynote speaker said: “When is the LPDC going to set and enforce new rules for television lawyers?
“When I was in this parish, it was an anathema to argue your case on television.
“When can a judge refer a petition for unethical conduct in the course of trial against a lawyer?
“And what are the expanding frontiers that lawyers and clients have for holding judicial officers accountable without being in contempt of them?”
Fashola noted that to maintain high ethical standards in the profession, members of the BOB must not only keep their hands firmly on the regulatory door of admission to the bar but “they must lead a crusade of urgency to remove unsuitable persons and characters before they bring down the House.”
Fashola’s lecture is titled: “Half-a-century of the Body of Benchers: The past, the present and the future of maintaining the ethics of legal profession in Nigeria.”
The event was attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who urged the judiciary to remain steadfast and not be swayed by the mob who constantly harass them.
The CJN expressed concern that strict adherence to ethical principles in the legal profession and society at large was not only dwindling but facing serious challenges.
She said the way to reverse the trend was for practitioners to recommit themselves to the fundamental values of ethics, discipline, and professional responsibility.
The CJN said: “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.
“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.”
Awomolo said the gathering was to reassess the role of the body in a constantly evolving society.
He acknowledged the argument as to whether a law degree should be a second degree.
He was of the view that the standard of lawyers being produced is of lower quality, and therefore, the minimum qualification and perhaps age should be reconsidered.
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
