NEWS
Lawyers Back Supreme Court Ban on ‘Barrister’ Prefix, Say Move Will Strengthen Professional Ethics
Some Lagos-based lawyers have thrown their weight behind the recent directive by the Supreme Court prohibiting the use of the title “Barrister” as a prefix in legal documents, describing the decision as a welcome step towards strengthening professionalism and restoring ethical standards within Nigeria’s legal profession.
The legal practitioners, who spoke with the journalists, maintained that the practice of placing the word “Barrister” before the names of lawyers has long been regarded as unprofessional and inconsistent with established rules of legal ethics.
The development follows a circular issued by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, directing lawyers and court officials to discontinue the use of the title “Barrister” as a prefix in all official engagements at the Supreme Court.
The directive, contained in a circular dated July 13 and signed by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Mr. Kabir Akanbi, was addressed to litigation staff, legal practitioners, court registrars and lawyers. It stated that the order took immediate effect and formed part of efforts aimed at upholding professional standards within the nation’s apex court.
Reacting to the directive, the immediate past Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ota Branch, Mr. Wale Adegoke, explained that although every person called to the Nigerian Bar is legally recognised as a “barrister and solicitor” of the Supreme Court under Section 24 of the Legal Practitioners Act 2004, the use of the title as a personal prefix has been declared improper.
“For decades, it was normal to see the prefix on letterheads and signposts; The position however, changed with the Supreme Court judicial pronouncement in the case of Nigerian Bar Association vs Ofomata (2017) 5 NWLR (PT. 1557) 128.
“In that case, the court held that prefixing “barrister” is unprofessional and improper for lawyers.
“The honourable court in its ratio stated that the use of ‘Barrister’ as a title is unknown to our legal tradition and smacks of self-aggrandizement,” he said.
Adegoke further noted that the Supreme Court anchored the prohibition on both the common law tradition and NBA regulations, making compliance a key requirement of professional ethics.
“The apex court decision in Ofomata, was followed by the disciplinary case of LPDC vs Chief Ladi Rotimi-williams (2019) LPDC/2019 where the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee reprimanded a senior lawyer for persistently using the title “Barrister” as prefix.
“The court held that it violated Rule 1 of the Rules of Professional conduct, 2007,” he said.
He also urged the Nigerian Bar Association to intensify public and professional enlightenment on acceptable forms of legal designation.
Adegoke said the NBA should organise awareness campaigns, particularly during its Annual General Conferences, to ensure lawyers remain informed about current professional standards and ethical requirements.
Also lending his voice, the founder of the Makolo Anthony Empowerment Foundation (MAEF) for indigent inmates, Mr. Anthony Makolo, described the directive as a timely and commendable decision.
According to him, the term “Barrister” originated from the English legal system and traditionally referred to lawyers who specialised in courtroom advocacy and litigation.
Makolo argued that the designation “Solicitor” more accurately reflects the broader responsibilities of Nigerian legal practitioners, which include legal drafting, advisory services and courtroom representation.
“The directive is timely and well thought out because the rate at which lawyers flaunt that word ‘barrister’ even in legal documents, makes one to wonder why such obsession with the title.
“A more suitable word going by the rules of legal ethics is either an esquire or a solicitor,” he said.
Similarly, a member of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Mrs. Elizabeth Chiozor, said the Supreme Court’s position aligns with the provisions of Rule 1(2) of the Rules of Professional Conduct (RPC), which requires lawyers to avoid conduct unbecoming of members of the legal profession.
She maintained that prefixing “Barrister” before a legal practitioner’s name amounts to professional misconduct and expressed full support for the apex court’s directive.
“Many Nigerians are used to the word “Barrister” from social media, home movies, clients, and sign boards, and so, it became a mark of identity for lawyers.
“This directive will restore some form of decorum in legal practice, so that lawyers are not perceived as playing to the gallery for attention,” she said.
The directive has continued to generate discussions within legal circles, with many practitioners viewing it as a significant move towards reinforcing discipline, preserving the traditions of the legal profession, and promoting uniformity in official legal communications across the country.