S’Court right to ban ‘Barrister’ title, SANs insist

Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) have voiced unanimous support for the Supreme Court's recent directive prohibiting lawyers from using the title 'Barrister' as a prefix in official communications. They view this move not as an introduction of a new rule, but as a reaffirmation of existing legal and professional standards.

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The Supreme Court directive merely restated the obvious. ‘Barrister’ has never been a professional title.

The directive, issued via a memorandum dated July 13, 2026, by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Kabir E. Akanbi, on the instruction of Chief Justice Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, mandates the discontinuation of the 'Barrister' prefix in all official correspondence, records, documents, and engagements. The Supreme Court stated that using 'Barrister' as a prefix is inappropriate and inconsistent with the expected professionalism within the court.

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In fact, except to the extent that the public is ignorant, describing one as a ‘Barrister’ suggests that he is not a ‘Solicitor’.

Legal practitioners and SANs have clarified that 'Barrister' has never been a professional title in itself. Professor Sam Erugo (SAN) explained that lawyers are called to the Nigerian Bar as "Barristers and Solicitors of the Supreme Court of Nigeria," a phrase denoting their qualification and duties. Unlike in some jurisdictions where lawyers are exclusively barristers or solicitors, Nigerian legal practitioners hold dual qualifications. "The phrase describes a lawyer’s professional qualification and duties rather than a title," Erugo noted.

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Before now, the average well-trained and knowledgeable legal practitioner understands this fact and does not add ‘Barrister’ as a prefix to his name in official communication or documents.

Many experienced legal practitioners have long adhered to this convention, avoiding the use of 'Barrister' as a prefix in official communications. The Supreme Court's directive is seen as primarily aimed at the small number of practitioners who have continued to disregard established professional norms, often using the title to project an unwarranted sense of status. The directive serves to formalize and enforce a practice that knowledgeable legal professionals already follow.

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The directive is clearly directed at the few who refuse to do the right thing and are wont to be unprofessional by introducing themselves as ‘Barrister’ to show off.