NBA-SLP Issues Cease and Desist Notice to Corporations Infringing on Legal Services Regulations
Distinguished colleagues,
Our attention had been drawn to some recent newspaper publications including those of Kudi Konsult Ltd, and First Bank Plc wherein there appeared to be infringements of the provisions of the Legal Practitioners Act Cap L.11 LFN 2004 and the Rules of Professional conduct for Lawyers 2007.
A number of our colleagues have consequent to this, expressed concerns about these publications in view of the provisions of the above laws. Please be assured that the Council of the Section on Legal Practice had previously been mandated by the President of the Nigerian Bar Association to officially take up on behalf of the NBA, infringement matters of this nature, upon which the SLP had in the past engaged various corporations.
Accordingly, we have taken steps to address the recent publications including our issuance of a CEASE and DESIST Notice to these organizations whose actions have been brought to our notice.
Historically, the NBA Section on Legal Practice had been charged with the responsibility of enforcing compliance by organizations and corporations whose acts infringe on laws and regulations governing the legal profession. This has informed our intervention against a number of corporations whose actions and business practices have been found to infringe on our regulations, while also engaging with Corporate Counsel and Legal Advisers of various corporations on such matters. Our objectives as a Section which includes enhancing our professional development and deepening Professional Ethics, among others, ground our committment to this cause.
Dear colleagues, be assured that the SLP will continue to work in line with this mandate to ensure the protection of our profession and ensure our extant laws and regulations are complied with by all users of legal services, as well as employers of legal practitioners. We shall continue to keep the NBA secretariat informed of developments accordingly.
Thank you for your continuing confidence and cooperation with the President of the NBA in his quest to protect the rule of law and our professional services, a mandate the SLP will continue to support to enforce.
With professional regards.
Oluseun Abimbola FCArb
Chairman, NBA Section on Legal Practice
