CJN Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun urges legal practitioners to recommit to ethical standards

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, on Wednesday expressed deep concerns over the decline in adherence to ethical principles within the legal profession.

Speaking at the public presentation of the report of the Directions of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, held at the Body of Benchers Complex in Abuja, Justice Kekere-Ekun lamented that strict adherence to ethical standards was facing significant challenges.

Justice Kekere-Ekun urged legal practitioners to recommit themselves to the fundamental values of ethics, discipline, and professional responsibility, stressing the importance of addressing this growing trend.

She called on the Body of Benchers, as the apex institution of the legal profession in Nigeria, to take the lead in restoring these core principles.

“It is instructive to note that the Body of Benchers, as the apex institution of the legal profession in Nigeria, is uniquely positioned to lead the charge in this regard,” she said. “The responsibility of upholding the legal profession’s sanctity rests heavily on its shoulders, and I have no doubt that the Body will continue to rise to the occasion.”

The CJN emphasized that the enforcement of professional discipline through the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) must be pursued with fairness, transparency, and unwavering resolve.

She praised the Body of Benchers for its foresight in initiating the annual lecture and the public presentation of the Body of Benchers Law Report.

Justice Kekere-Ekun further highlighted that the lecture, now an annual event, serves multiple purposes, including shedding light on the workings of the Body of Benchers, fostering greater understanding of its role in legal practice and professional discipline, and providing a forum for critical discussions on challenges and future prospects for the legal profession in Nigeria.

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The lecture’s theme, ‘Half-A-Century of the Body of Benchers: The Past, The Present, and The Future of Maintaining the Ethics of the Legal Profession in Nigeria,’ was introduced to encourage introspective reflections on the ethical standards of the legal profession.

The CJN emphasized the importance of setting clear benchmarks for professional ethics, continuous legal education, and justice sector reforms.

Justice Kekere-Ekun concluded her address by pleading for the continuation and expansion of this initiative, ensuring it remains a vital tool for strengthening the legal profession and enhancing public confidence in the judiciary and legal practice in Nigeria.

This inaugural edition of the annual lecture is set to be delivered by the former governor of Lagos State and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Babatunde Raji Fashola.