Nigerian News Beat

The House of Representatives has started the process of reviewing  the Legal Practitioners’ Act which came into existence 28 years ago.

This is to enable the parliament review the provisions of the law and bring it in line with present day realities.

Experts believe that the existing legislation  is too old.
For instance, it provides for N200 practising fee for a  Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and an amount not exceeding N50 for other  practitioners.

The Chairman of the Committee on Justice, Hon.  Ali Ahmad (PDP/Kwara), said the proposed review would eliminate a provision in the old law  which restricts law  practice in Nigeria  to only citizens of the country.

It has however, provided stringent conditions for foreigners who seek to practice law in Nigeria.

The new  bill, Ahmad said, is coming with  innovative provisions on institutionalising continuing legal education and the Fidelity Fund.

Ahmad who spoke at a public hearing on the Legal Practitioners’ Act and two other bills said  continuing legal education would raise the level of  proficiency and skill of law practitioners  to benefit from such provisions as the Nigerian Content  Act 2011, which reserves legal service in the petroleum industry to Nigerian legal practitioners only.

According to him,  the public  hearing has provided a forum for experts and members of the public to contribute their  views on any matter relating to the bill.

The  hearing attracted memoranda from  the National Industrial Court (NIC), National Institute of Legislative Studies, National Judicial Institute (NJI), Nigeria Law School as well as the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA).

In spite of the proposed innovations, some professors of law have raised  questions on  whether some of them who are quite old and no longer desire to appear in courts must continue to pay practising fees as the bill suggests.

In his contribution, President of the NBA, Mr. Okey Wali, said the existing laws were obsolete and  part of the problems in the country today.

He, however, warned against some of the proposed regulations, saying   self-regulation had become the trend globally to ensure the independence of the bar.

“For all these bills, the public hearing provides a forum for the experts and members of the public to contribute their informed views on any matter relating to the bill. As legislators, we must listen to you. We are only your mirrors to reflect your opinion to the Committee of the Whole House.  Our constitutional duty as legislators is to pass laws to enhance peace, order and good governance of our dear country,” Ahmad said.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon.  Aminu Tambuwal, who declared the public hearing open,  called for the repositioning of the legal profession in Nigeria to meet  global standards.

Tambuwal said the public hearing on the Legal Practitioners’ Act, the  Penalties Review Authorisation Bill and the  Nigerian Law Reform Commission Act Amendment Bill were designed to add value to the law profession.

The penalties review  authorisation bill seeks to establish an automated review and update of monetary fines in criminal sentences.

On the other hand, the Nigerian Law Reform Commission Act amendment bill seeks  amendments  of the principal Act to permit  the commission to submit its report and recommendations for legislative review.

According to him, the review of the three law  would go a long way to correct the lapses in law practice in Nigeria.