NBA set to review rules against professional misconduct

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on Monday expressed its willingness to review the rules guiding the conduct of members in the discharge of their professional duties.

Its General Secretary, Mr Isiaka Olagunju, disclosed this in a statement in Ibadan.

Olagunju said the move was to reposition the legal practice, improve its acceptability and sustain its leading position among professional bodies.

According to him, the main focus is to curb professional misconduct among members and nudge them to higher moral and ethical standards.

Olagunju said the body was disturbed and often embarrassed by the deluge of petitions against some members on allegations of misconduct.

He said that the NBA was making moves to re-invigorate the disciplinary processes and improve on ethics development.

Olagunju said the first step would be to constitute a Legal Professional Regulation Review Committee which will be inaugurated by the NBA President, Mr Mahmoud Balarabe (SAN), in Abuja this week.

He said that: “the core mandate of the committee is to review the current regulatory objectives and the regulatory architecture of the legal profession’’.

Olagunju said that the association would treat every petition fairly, while there would be no sacred cow in handling professional misconduct cases against members.

“If there is a rule and you are in breach of that rule, of course you will face the wrath of the law. It is going to be a holistic process of regulating the legal profession in Nigeria.

“Some members have been dealt with in the past and some more will face disciplinary action as soon as allegations against them are established.

“Nigerians expect a high level of integrity from lawyers. And that has been our strength as professionals.

“The moment you are a lawyer, people believe you must be incorruptible. So, if any lawyer is found wanting in his conduct, the fellow will face proper disciplinary measures.

“We want the whole world to know that there is a new sheriff in town now in the NBA in person of Mahmoud Balarabe (SAN) who is bent on regulating the legal profession for the benefit of the entire Nigeria,’’ he said.