The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has expressed concern over the declining adherence to ethical principles in the legal profession. She lamented that professional discipline among lawyers is facing serious challenges, necessitating urgent reforms to restore integrity and uphold ethical standards.
Speaking at the public presentation of the report of the Directions of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) at the Body of Benchers Complex in Abuja, Justice Kekere-Ekun emphasized the need for law practitioners to recommit to ethics, discipline, and professional responsibility.
She noted that the Body of Benchers, as the apex institution of the legal profession in Nigeria, is uniquely positioned to lead this charge. Stressing the importance of professional discipline, she stated:
“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.”
Justice Kekere-Ekun, who also chaired the inaugural edition of the Body of Benchers Annual Lecture and the public presentation of the Body of Benchers Law Report, commended the Chairman of the Body of Benchers, Chief Adegboyega Solomon Awomolo, SAN, and members for their dedication in initiating the lecture.
She described the lecture as a crucial platform for intellectual engagement and discourse on the evolving role of the Body of Benchers in Nigeria’s legal profession. The annual lecture, she explained, will provide a forum for critical discussions on ethical standards, legal education, and justice sector reforms.
The maiden edition, themed “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,” will be delivered by former Lagos State Governor and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Babatunde Raji Fashola.
Justice Kekere-Ekun urged that the initiative be sustained and expanded, not only as a platform for reflection but as a mechanism for setting clear benchmarks on professional ethics, continuous legal education, and judicial reforms.