#NBAAGC2019: Seniors Should Treat Their Juniors Equitably; Pay Them Adequate Salaries And Also Encourage Them To Make Juniors Enjoy Public Holidays — Chief Sholanke, SAN

* Lawyers are the only professional discipline that is sent to schools to teach by NYSC — Sylvester Udems

Lecturer at the Nigerian Law School, Mr. Sylvester Udems, has said that lawyers are the only professional discipline that is sent to schools to teach by NYSC.

The senior lawyer made this statement during the panel session with the topic, “The Future Of The Legal Profession & Legal Practitioners” which was chaired by Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN, OFR.

Mr. Sylvester Udems, suggested that the NBA president convene a stakeholders’ meeting to discuss the Future of this profession. According to him, we need to enlarge the space for employment for legal practitioners.

“Policemen do the jobs of lawyers at the magistrate court, this should not continue. The Local Governments do not have legal departments, it should be created. Only about six states have Legal departments in the entire country. We need to set it up in all Local Governments in the country. They will help in doing the job at the magistrate court.

“Lawyers are the only professional discipline that is sent to schools to teach by NYSC, it needs to be looked into. What do we do to solve the problem of clients meeting OPC, Police officers, Soldiers, pay them 5% the fee they would have paid to a lawyer to help recover a debt of like N500,000 that would take up to 12 years if a court will handle it?” he asked.

Chief Anthony Idigbe, SAN, was quoted to have said that, “reforms is key for continuous survival of our profession and presently no clear regulatory objective set for the legal profession for example, no term limits for judges so they become life benchers.”

He noted that the General Council of the Bench have not met in the last 20 years as the Attorney General, who is supposed to coordinate them, is politically appointed and subject to his principal or appointing institution. And that the NBA came up with a new bill, The Legal Profession Regulation Bill which Key reforms include to seek to repeal the Legal Practitioners Act and to introduce clear regulatory authorities and principles. According to him, they propose the establishment of The Legal Profession Regulation Council of Nigeria, adding that the composition of the Council is done in a way that it will guarantee its independence as the legal practitioners will fund the Council.

He noted that the bill seeks to introduce a new privilege known as the Certified Specialist, unlike SANs that are generalist; that foreign firms cannot practice Nigerian law but foreign; provision of licensing of individuals for legal services; that it seeks to change the narrative of legal practitioners from being reactive to proactive, from settling of litigations to prevention of litigations.

He added that the bill will introduce committees such as: the Body of Benchers Committee, Legal Aid and Welfare Committee, Compliance & Enforcements Committee, Education Committee, Privileges Committee, Young Lawyers Committee and a host of others.

He emphasized that ideas should drive the reforms; that we all need to cascade this reform with our political leaders, adding that three years have gone in pushing for these reforms but will not be deterred until success is achieved.

Fabian Ajogwu, SAN, on the other hand proposed the enforcement of sanctions against lawyers and believes that the future of law is self-regulation of our body. “We need to move from being defensive to being pragmatic. Our legal profession is based on the apprentice model and so we must look at the welfare of the apprentice – look at reward systems,” he said.

Senator Ita Enang on the other hand said that there should be a liberalization of the profession. He views Legislative practice as an arm of the legal profession and so they need to be fully involved in it even though not elected as legislators. He stressed that we need to look at the different parts of the profession that has emerged in facing the future while trying to regulate the profession.

Chief Sholanke, SAN also urged the seniors to treat their juniors equitably; pay them adequate salaries and also encourage them to make Juniors enjoy public holidays.

“When they finish their days work, they should be allowed to go home. Junior lawyers have a life to live apart from the law. NBA should set up a permanent committee to take care of the welfare of seniors and elders during conferences,” she said.

She encouraged lawyers to put up their best appearance and dress appropriately and also urged the NBA to be technology savvy, and recommended the continuous program for judges and lawyers to be trained in technology.

During the Question and answer session, a SAN asked, how do we deal with complexities and attitudinal problems we have in the country. He observed that the National assembly needs to give priorities to bills of this nature that will transform the face of the legal profession for the better and the economy also. One Emeka of NBA Abuja asked: How do we simplify the petition and hearing process, as what we have now takes a whole lot of time. Olufunmilola of Lagos Branch also said that Lawyers in the corporate world that have done so much in that area, how can they be recognized? One Mariam who practices in Port Harcourt then asked: what is the NBA doing to stop other professions from taking up legal services and reducing lawyer’s revenue?

Responding, Chief Anthony Idigbe, SAN, said that the model that was adopted for the profession in the new bill is similar to the ICAN model, self-regulatory and statutory model, that is, majority of members will be from elections, appointed members will be few.

“Regarding other profession taking the jobs of lawyers, we need to adopt a system that will mandate other professions passing to pass through lawyers when those services are carried out. Same is done in Canada. Also review the curriculum of our law faculties in the University and at the law school.

The bill also takes care of discipline by the NBA. Corporate lawyers are to be recognized, which is why the certified specialist was introduced,” he said.

Also the NBA President, Paul Usoro, SAN, said that the Body of Benchers have been working on a similar bill also and recommended that the Bill NBA came up with be harmonized with theirs. He agreed to the fact that there are glitches in the Disciplinary measures but said that NBA is in the process of reviewing and revamping their own disciplinary process.

He stressed that the NBA will prepare a manual that shows the steps needed to be taken in order to have a very transparent disciplinary process and that the NBA will work towards presenting a report on the progress made so far. Finally, he assured those that had contributions to make but couldn’t to send him an email or letter with their recommendation so he would look into it and see how to incorporate it into the plan of the NBA.

Concluding, the chairman said that next time we will listen to how far we have gone with the realization of the bill. He said that we need to help the profession, both Seniors and Juniors. We must from within regulate ourselves. He also appealed that the bill be presented at the Bench meeting and Branch chairmen also present same in their various chapters.