President Bola Tinubu has officially transmitted a bill seeking to introduce a new legal framework and strengthen the regulation of the legal profession in Nigeria.
The proposed Executive bill also seeks to provide necessary reforms to enhance professional standards, disciplinary mechanisms with a view to ensuring public confidence in legal practice in Nigeria.
Speaker Abbas Tajudeen read the President’s letter on the resumption of Tuesday’s plenary.
According to him, the proposed Legal Practitioners bill, 2025 seeks to repeal and reenact the extant Legal Practitioners Act, Cap L11, Laws of the Federation, 2004 which was enacted into law in 1962 the draft bill introduces a new legal framework, strengthening the regulation of the legal profession in Nigeria and providing necessary reforms to enhance professional standards, disciplinary mechanisms and public confidence in legal practice in Nigeria.
While noting that legal practitioners play a crucial role in upholding justice, the rule of law and access to justice, President Tinubu, however, noted with concern that the “evolving challenges with respect to regulating professional conduct, licensing of legal practitioners, as well as establishing appropriate disciplinary measures and legal practice standards necessitate a modern and comprehensive legal services framework.
“The bill makes provision for greater accountability, stronger professional ethics and a more transparent regulatory structure for legal practitioners in Nigeria, all of which are critical in view of the growing domestic and international demand for legal services in this country.”
According to Mr President, section one of the proposed legislation provides the objectives of the proposed Act, which include promoting and protecting public interest, promoting the rule of law and improving access to justice and increasing public understanding of the legal rights and duties of Citizens.
Section 2 establishes the core principles guiding legal practitioners, including integrity, confidentiality, ethical standards and duty to client and court.
Section 3 establishes the body of benchers charged with the responsibility of admitting, admitting eligible pensioners to the bar
Section 17 establishes the legal practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee with jurisdiction to consider and determine cases of misconduct by legal practitioners, while Section 18 provides for a range of penalties, including suspension, restriction, reprimand, and removal from the road.
Sections 25 to 26 introduce a two-year mandatory population and compulsory continuing professional development for legal practitioners.
Sections 27 and 29 provide for the inspection and accreditation, accreditation of law officers, issues of practising licenses and the use of official stamps and sales to authenticate legal documents.
To this end, he solicited expeditious consideration and passage of the bill.
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