The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), in collaboration with the Employment and Labour Lawyers Association of Nigeria (ELLAN), is set to host the 2026 Bar and Bench Forum as part of activities marking the Court’s 2026 New Legal Year.
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The forum, themed “Beyond the Courtroom: Rethinking Bar and Bench Engagement in Employment and Industrial Relations,” is scheduled to hold on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at the NICN Headquarters, No. 1, Hon. Justice Babatunde Adejumo Street, Area 3, Garki, Abuja.
Proceedings are expected to commence at 10:00 a.m.
According to the organisers, the forum is designed to provide a platform for meaningful engagement between members of the Bar and the Bench on legal, administrative and professional issues affecting employment and industrial relations practice in Nigeria.
The programme will feature a panel discussion involving stakeholders in the labour and employment sector, followed by an interactive question-and-answer session with judges of the National Industrial Court.
Discussions are expected to focus on recent jurisprudence and decisions of the NICN, practice directions, court administration, professional conduct of lawyers and other practical concerns arising from day-to-day litigation and legal practice before the Court.
The forum is also expected to provide practitioners with an opportunity to engage directly with the Bench on developments in labour and employment law and on issues affecting the administration of justice within the specialised jurisdiction of the National Industrial Court.
Members of the Bar have been invited to submit questions and concerns ahead of the event for consideration during the interactive session.
The organisers said participation will not be limited to physical attendance, as lawyers and other interested participants who are unable to attend at the NICN Headquarters may join the forum virtually.
Virtual participants are required to register in advance through the Zoom registration platform provided by the organisers.
Members of the Bar wishing to submit questions or concerns for discussion during the forum can also do so through the designated online form.
The 2026 Bar and Bench Forum forms part of the NICN’s New Legal Year activities and is intended to strengthen engagement between judges, employment and labour lawyers and other stakeholders involved in industrial relations practice.
The Employment and Labour Lawyers Association of Nigeria urged interested participants to follow its official communication channels for further information concerning the forum.
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