Breaking News: Former CJN, Muhammad Laments Declining Ethical Principles Among Lawyers

Former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, has expressed deep concern over the declining trend of upholding ethical principles by lawyers in the country.

In a recent address to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the erstwhile CJN lamented the erosion of professional standards and the increasing instances of unprofessional conduct among lawyers.

According to him, the decline in upholding ethical principles is a threat to the integrity of the legal profession and the justice system as a whole.

“The legal profession is built on trust, and when that trust is broken, the entire system suffers. It is imperative that lawyers uphold the highest standards of ethics and professionalism, not just to maintain public confidence but also to ensure that justice is served,” Muhammad said.

The former CJN’s concerns are backed by statistics, which show a significant increase in complaints against lawyers in recent years.

The Nigerian Bar Association’s own data reveals that there were over 500 complaints filed against lawyers in the past year alone, with many of these complaints related to unethical behaviour.

One of the main areas of concern is the increasing trend of lawyers engaging in sharp practices, such as forum shopping and soliciting clients in inappropriate ways. He noted that such behaviour not only undermines the dignity of the profession but also brings the legal system into disrepute.

Another area of concern is the lack of transparency and accountability in the legal profession; Muhammad pointed out that many lawyers were not transparent in their dealings with clients, and some even engage in dishonest practices, such as overbilling and misleading clients about the merits of their cases.

He also expressed concern about the impact of the decline in ethical principles on the administration of justice,.adding, “When lawyers engage in unprofessional conduct, it can lead to miscarriages of justice, and that is a serious threat to the rule of law.”

To address the decline in upholding ethical principles, he called on the legal profession to take a number of steps. These include:

Strengthening the rules of professional conduct and ensuring that they are enforced effectively

Providing more training and education on ethics and professionalism for lawyers

Increasing transparency and accountability in the legal profession;

Encouraging a culture of integrity and respect for the law among lawyers

The CJN also called on the Nigerian Bar Association to take a more proactive role in promoting ethical standards in the legal profession.

“The NBA has a critical role to play in promoting ethical standards among lawyers, and I urge the association to take this responsibility seriously,” he opined.

In response to his concerns, the Nigerian Bar Association has announced plans to launch a new initiative to promote ethical standards in the legal profession.

The initiative will include a review of the rules of professional conduct, as well as the development of new training programs and resources for lawyers.