Nigerian Law Society Faults CJN Over Inconsistent Regulation Of Legal Titles

The Directive

The Nigerian Law Society (NLS) has accused the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, and the Legal Practitioners' Privileges Committee (LPPC) of applying inconsistent standards in regulating professional titles used by lawyers across Nigeria. The dispute centres on a memorandum dated July 13, 2026, issued by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Kabir E. Akanbi, on the instruction of the CJN. It directed litigation staff, legal practitioners, court registrars and lawyers to discontinue using "Barrister" as a prefix before their names in official correspondence, records, identity materials and other engagements with immediate effect, describing the practice as inconsistent with expected standards of professionalism.

NLS's Objection

In a statement issued on Wednesday by its Executive Director, Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja, the NLS argued that the ban has no backing under the Legal Practitioners Act, 1962. Jaja noted that "Barrister" is expressly recognised under the Act, alongside "Solicitor," making the CJN's reliance on the title a half truth that leaves out the other recognised designation. He described the situation as an act of contradiction and hypocrisy, arguing that neither the CJN, the LPPC nor the Nigerian Bar Association has the power to impose requirements on lawyers that are not expressly stated within the Act.

The Legal Argument

Jaja contrasted "Barrister" with titles such as "Esquire" and the "Blue Silks" rank of Senior Counsel of Nigeria (SCN), neither of which appears in any statute yet both remain permitted. He referenced a Federal High Court judgment by Justice Mohammed Garba Umar, holding that neither the NBA nor the LPPC has regulatory authority over the SCN title. Jaja also noted that the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) rank was not created directly by Nigerian legislation but evolved from Britain's King's Counsel tradition, weakening any claim that only statute-rooted titles deserve recognition. The dispute forms part of a wider disagreement over the Blue Silks ranks, introduced by the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners as an alternative honour for non-litigation lawyers, which the LPPC has previously described as illegal.

Where SANs Stand

Not all senior lawyers share the NLS's position. Some Senior Advocates of Nigeria have publicly backed the directive, describing it as a reaffirmation of existing professional standards rather than a new rule, and arguing that "Barrister" is a description of professional status rather than a title. Legal scholar Eyimofe Atake, SAN, defended the memorandum as legally sound, rejecting criticism that it was elitist or an unnecessary intervention by the CJN. The disagreement highlights ongoing tension over who holds the authority to define acceptable professional designations for Nigerian Lawyers