FG raises committee to review remuneration of lawyers

NBA charges members on restoration of Nigeria’s glory
Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, yesterday, inaugurated the Legal Practitioners Remuneration Committee (LPRC), headed by Attorney-General of Lagos State, Moyosore Onigbanjo, to consider plight of younger lawyers.

The event also witnessed inauguration of General Council of the Bar (GCB) in Abuja.

LPRC, established by the Legal Practitioners Act, is to, among other things, regulate and standardise remuneration of professionals in Nigeria. 

According to Section 15 of the Act, the committee is made up of Attorneys-General of the Federation and states, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) president and three other members of the body.

Malami said: “In view of current national and economic realities, it is clear that the scale of charges hitherto established is long due for review. 

“A situation where legal practitioners are paid pittance for legal services must be thoroughly looked into and necessary steps taken, to not only safeguard livelihoods of lawyers, but also ensure that legal practitioners are treated with dignity and prestige. 

“The committee has a responsibility to critically review the scale of charges, taking into consideration prevailing challenges and experiences by attorneys, as well as the nation’s current economic realities.

On his part, NBA president, Yakubu Maikyau, noted that the scale of charges for legal services in Nigeria has not been reviewed for the past 27 years, hence the evaluation.

Onigbanjo, who heads the committee, said a standardised scale of legal services would better lawyer and client.

IN another development, the NBA boss has charged lawyers to provide leadership for Nigeria’s restoration. 

Maikyau said the situation in the country called for legal practitioners to examine challenges facing the country and see to them being overcome.

He made the appeal yesterday at the opening of 2023 NBA Annual General Conference, which kick-started with unveiling of the conference’s logo and website for registration.

The senior lawyer said the theme of this year’s event, “Getting it right, Charting the course for Nigeria’s nation building,” was to ensure that lawyers provide leadership in addressing the country’s problems. 

On her part, conference alternate chairperson, Oyinkan Badejo-Okosanya, urged lawyers to leverage the website and register in time.