The Nigerian Law Society has declared that the directive by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, banning the use of ‘Barrister’ and replacing it with ‘Esquire’ as the title for Nigerian lawyers, is not established by statutes.
The CJN had directed lawyers and court officials to, with immediate effect, stop using the title “Barrister” as a prefix to their names in all official engagements at the Supreme Court. The directive was contained in a memo dated July 13, 2026, and signed by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Kabir Akanbi.
According to the memo, which was addressed to legal practitioners, court registrars and other lawyers, the directive is part of efforts to uphold professional standards within the apex court.
Reacting to the development, the NLS, speaking through its Executive Director, Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja, explained that the Legal Practitioners Act, 1962, recognises the titles of Barrister
This post was originally published on this site.
