One of the hallmarks of the Nigerian profession is the prescribed dress code for lawyers appearing before courts which promotes modesty and the conservative nature of the profession.
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Specifically, Rule 6 (b) of the Rules of Professional Conduct for the Legal Profession 2007 provides as follow;
“while the court is in session, a lawyer should not assume an undignified posture, and should not, without the judgeâs permission, remove his wig and gown in the courtroom. He should always be attired in a proper and dignified manner, and abstain from apparel or ornament calculated to attract attention to himself.”
Generally, the approved attire for male lawyers includes:
Dark suits (preferable black), white shirts (winged collar or white detachable collars) and a white bib, black socks and black shoes, stripped black trousers may be worn.
For female lawyers, White blouse, dark jacket (preferably black) and black skirts, covering knees (dark suit) and black shoes are to be worn with white collarette and bib. there should be no embroidery and trimmings of any type, and only moderate jewelry.
In both cases counsel shall wear also, a wig and Barristersâ Gown and refrain from any other apparel not specifically mentioned above or provided by any regulation made by the Bar Council or the Body of Benchers. As of today, the foregoing remains the only mode of dressing approved for lawyers appearing before superior courts of record in Nigeria.
In the Rules of several Courts in Nigeria, any lawyer not properly dressed according to the accepted standard is not granted audience by the court.
However, reactions have begun to trail the picture of a lawyer who recently appeared before a in a sneaker shoe in contravention of the strict requirement of black corporate shoe.
The picture of the Lawyer whose identity was not revealed was sighted by TheNigeriaLawyer on a Facebook by a Lagos-based Senior Lawyer, Adesina Ogunlana.
In the post, Ogunlana wrote “A LAWYER SITTING AT THE BAR AT AN IKEJA HIGH COURT THIS MORNING …..And Jesus said ‘ if your leg cause you offence , cut it off. It is better to enter Paradise without a leg, than to enter Perdition with your legs .
I trust ‘ powerful and emergency’ defence counsel to rush out sundry defences and justifications for this miserable dressing!”
As at the time of filing the report, no member of the NBA or Body of Benchers have reacted to the issue.
However, one lawyer informed TheNigeriaLawyer that such a situation could be excused on health ground, noting that the courts usually allow Counsel the liberty to exercise greater freedom under certain health conditions. He said, “Could be health related though. Seen Robert Clark SAN in Court and he was using sneakers, I was informed on health grounds.”
In recent times, the legal profession has been shrouded in controversies regarding the observance and equal enforcement of rules guiding the profession.
The profession still tries to settle public ire sparked by an unfortunate physcial altercation which broke out during the last NBA-AGC and brought public ridicule to the profession.
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