Idemili: Lawyers Urged To Uphold Professional Ethics, NBA Ready To Punish Erring Legal Practitioners

By Uzo Ugwunze

Lawyers have been reminded of the need to uphold the ethics of the Noble legal profession in their own interest and to stop cutting corners in the name of hustle because of the economic realities facing the country but rather they should implement the Legal Practitioners Remuneration Order 2023 which provides a benchmark for charges of fees.

Speaking during the Nigerian Bar Association NBA Idemili/Fountain Bar Law week, which held at the Bar Center, High court premises, Ogidi, NBA Idemili Branch Chairman, Chidi B. Nnaji (Mrs), said that the theme “From Honour to Hustle? Reclaiming the Noble Identity of the Legal Profession” captures the painful truth that many within and outside the legal community now perceive law practice as more of a hustle than a calling of honour.

“Traditionally, the legal profession stood for truth, justice, dignity, and integrity. Lawyers were respected not just for their intelligence, but for their honourable conduct — they were trusted voices in society.

“However, in recent times, certain negative trends have begun to erode that image: Some lawyers undercut fees or disregard statutory charges, turning the profession into a price war. Others engage in sharp practices, unethical advertisements, or collusion with quacks.

“Many young lawyers feel forced to ‘hustle’ for survival, due to poor remuneration, lack of mentorship, and a system that rewards shortcuts over substance.

“This gradual shift from ‘honourable profession’ to ‘survival hustle’ threatens the soul of the legal calling — making the need for ethical revival urgent and essential.

“The NBA has now become proactive in checkmating quackery in the legal profession and in enforcing the Legal Practitioners Remuneration Order 2023, which provides a benchmark for charges of fees.

“The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee will punish erring lawyers in this regard. At the NBA Branch levels, we have task force committees that investigate and report erring lawyers to the National Disciplinary Committee. Erring lawyers stand the risk of being suspended from the practice or being barred totally from legal practice,” said Mrs Nnaji.

The Keynote Speaker, Emeka J. P. Obegolu, SAN, maintained that lawyers should comply with the Legal Practitioners Remuneration Order 2023, which came into effect on the 16th Day of May 2023 and provides a benchmark of minimum percentage for charges of fees.

“The Legal Practitioners (Remuneration for Business, Legal Services and Representation) Order, 2023. A legal practitioner may accept from his client security for his remuneration and may charge interest on his disbursements and costs as provided by the Legal Practitioners’ Remuneration Order 2023. (LPA Paragraph 6).

“It is Professional Misconduct to charge Less than the Fees prescribed in the Order without Justification Rule 48 (2) Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners, 2023 stipulates that a lawyer shall not enter into an agreement for, charge or collect any fee in violation of the Legal Practitioners (Remuneration for Business, Legal Services and Representation) Order, 2023”, he said.

Moreover, Delivering his dinner Speech titled, ‘Legal Ethics and Professionalism’ at Residency Hotel, Ogidi during the NBA, Idemili Bar Law week, the Administrative Judge Idemili Judicial Division, Hon. Justice Alexius O. Okuma stressed on the need for lawyers to reacquaint themselves with the Code of Conduct of the legal profession which is a hand book for their safety if they want to remain in practice or achieve success and prominence.

Justice Okuma said that maintaining ethical conduct will boost the confidence of the lawyers before their clients, thereby making the profession more profitable, protect lawyers from unnecessary harm, and expedite justice delivery and dispensation.

Some of the ethics addressed include improper dressing both within and outside the court room, Absence from court without official notice, Conduct in the face of court, Lawyer holding brief for another lawyer, frivolous objections and petitions for transfer of cases to delay the time of the court, adding Barrister as a title before their name, Visiting clients house or a beer parlor instead of receiving the client at the law office, Ride-sharing for a trip with a client.

According to Okuma, the Code of Conduct is a handbook for your safety. For instance, if your client is not proud of you because of the way you dress or visit the beer parlor, he would dump you for another lawyer who looks more responsible. Don’t, after collecting transport fee, join a litigant in his car or offer him a ride because there could be devastating consequences.

Former NBA Idemili Branch Chairman, Sylvester N.S. Eze Esq and Chief Sir Ben Okoko Esq, in their separate speeches, noted that both the Law week theme and the seminar topics were thought-provoking and timely, saying that the increase in lawyers being called to the Bar yearly has reduced the legal profession to a hustle.

SNS Eze, who was a former Council of Legal Education Member, said: “The theme is aimed at re-channeling lawyers’ minds from a survival mentality to that of abundance. From barely eking out a living to making a comfortable living out of the proceeds of the legal profession.

If lawyers adhere to the remuneration order, which is a law made to standardize legal charges, every lawyer should be comfortable. But many lawyers have not been able to key into that because they think it is impossible for lawyers to really charge like 10 percent for preparing a legal document, as stipulated by the Law. If lawyers adhere to that, in a year, if you sign two or three documents and do a few cases, you will be comfortable but grabbing everything that comes your way at any cost will only stress you out; that is hustle, but we should return to honor.

Moreso, Chief Hon Sir Ben Okoko states: “the new remuneration order is actually from ‘Hustle to Honor’. When you have a lot of lawyers, anything goes. For a junior lawyer to survive, they will start cutting corners. For instance, for any documents that pertain to land, 10 percent of the total purchase amount shall be given to the lawyer who prepared the title deed. Now, those of us senior lawyers who insist on the new remuneration order keep losing jobs.

“A prospective client who approached me claimed that another lawyer accepted that after paying 10 million naira into his account, which is 10 percent of the total purchase of a particular and, he would give them back 9 million naira and keep only 1 million naira. When I refused that style, they left for that person who wanted to cut corners and collect peanuts.

“I advise young lawyers to be patient and refer clients to senior lawyers if they cannot negotiate properly according to standard regulations. Nowadays, it is very difficult to report a fellow lawyer because of fear of suspension from practice or derobing that lawyer”, said Okoko.

The Law Week Committee, headed by Alex U. Obojiofor Esq. Youthanked all the guests, lawyers, magistrates, and judges for participating and for their contributions towards making the event a memorable one.”We are confident that the insights we shall gain today will rekindle our collective commitment to integrity, professionalism, and service to justice”.

Highlights of the NBA Idemili Branch 2025 Law Week include the grand Dinner and Award Night to appreciate the contributions of distinguished personalities in the legal profession, the judiciary, government, business, and traditional institutions.

Some of the award recipients include the Chairman Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council, His Majesty Igwe Chidubem Iweka (Eze Iweka III of Obosi), His Majesty Igwe Pharm Alex Uzo Onyido (Ezechuamuagha Ogidi), Chief Okwuduba Anyaorah (Ijele Oba).