The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has directed that lawyers appearing before the Supreme Court should no longer use “Barrister” as a prefix to their names, introducing a new practice aimed at strengthening professional standards and courtroom decorum.
The directive, which takes immediate effect, ends the long-standing practice of addressing legal practitioners as “barrister” in official court proceedings and documents.
Under the new guideline, the court explained that “barrister” is a professional designation indicating a lawyer’s qualification and status, rather than an honorific title.
Consequently, lawyers are expected to use conventional titles where appropriate, while their professional status may be stated separately when necessary.
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The directive is said to align with established common law traditions and previous judicial interpretations that distinguish professional qualifications from formal name prefixes.
Court officials also indicated that documents filed before the Supreme Court, as well as oral appearances that fail to comply with the prescribed naming convention, could face greater scrutiny as the directive is enforced.
The decision marks a notable change in courtroom practice and is expected to shape professional etiquette within Nigeria’s legal profession, particularly if other courts and judicial institutions adopt similar measures.
