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Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), has expressed concern over the decline in ethical standards within the legal profession.
Kekere-Ekun stated this at the inaugural Annual Lecture of the Body of Benchers, which also featured the public presentation of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee’s report on Directions on Wednesday in Abuja.
The lecture was 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.”
The CJN said at the lecture that it was a thing of concern that strict adherence to ethical principles in the legal profession and society at large was not only dwindling but facing serious challenges.
She canvassed an urgent need for law practitioners to recommit themselves to the fundamental values of ethics, discipline, and professional responsibility as part of efforts to address the trend.
“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.
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”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,” the CJN said.
As Chairman of the inaugural edition, the CJN commended the leadership of the body of benchers and the entire members for their foresight and dedication in initiating the lecture.
She described the lecture as a reflection of the Body of Benchers’ progressive evolution and a crucial platform for intellectual discourse, practical engagement, and self-examination.
According to her, the lecture would serve multiple purposes, including shedding light on the workings of the Body of Benchers at both national and international levels to enhance understanding of its vital role in legal practice and professional discipline.
“It will address the challenges and future prospects of the body, assess ethical standards in Nigeria’s legal profession, and ensure the highest levels of discipline, integrity, and professional responsibility among lawyers,” she stated.
She added that the lecture would also help set a forward-looking agenda for strengthening the legal profession while boosting public confidence in the judiciary and legal practice.
She called on the Body of Benchers to sustain and expand the initiative, emphasising that it should go beyond reflection and discourse to serve as a platform for establishing clear benchmarks for professional ethics, continuous legal education, and justice sector reforms.
