The Nigerian Bar Association on Wednesday introduced a practice licence and stamp policy in a renewed bid to stop the infiltration of quacks into the law profession.
The policy entails having seals and stamps with specific security features, including the name and enrolment number of each lawyer.
The President of the NBA, Augustine Alegeh, while launching the policy in Abuja, admonished Nigerian law firms to stop colluding with fake foreign law firms to deprive Nigerian lawyers of work.
Alegeh said: “Members must draw attention to the activities of these foreign firms.
“I received a mail yesterday from a SAN, drawing my attention to a group that has been working in Rivers State.
“He said they have been collecting up to 30 million pounds as fees to take out litigation on behalf of people.
“We want to serve a note of warning that any law firm, that we find working in collaboration with a foreign law firm to take away work meant for Nigerian lawyers, will be sanctioned.
“We will take disciplinary action against all partners in that firm, the owner of that firm and all those working in that firm.”
Alegeh advised lawyers to be vigilant and report anyone who handed over his/her seal to a foreign law firm.
The president added that disciplinary measures would be taken against such a person.
In an interview with NAN, an Abuja-based lawyer, Ojima Akpa, acknowledged that the fight against quacks had been on for a long time.
Akpa said the introduction of the licence certificate and stamp policy was a welcome development.
Akpa noted that if followed through, the policy would go a long way in sanitising the law profession.
She said: “There have been several reported cases whereby fake lawyers arrested confess that they have been practising and winning cases without studying law or going to the law school.”
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