₦airaland Forum

Read further on the Ag's powers..

ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION REMOVES REQUIREMENT FOR NBA STAMP AND SEAL, AMENDS RPC- BY OLIVER OMOREDIA

The Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami SAN has amended the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners (RPC) 2007 and the new amendments have far reaching implications for the landscape of law practice in Nigeria! The Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners (Amendment) Rules made on the 3rd of September 2020 has deleted key provisions of the RPC, including the rule mandating the use of NBA Stamp and Seal by Legal Practitioners, and provisions requiring lawyers acting for Government, ministries or corporations to pay Annual Bar Practicing fees.

This write up considers the powers to make the amendments to the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners and the far-reaching implications of the amendments to the landscape of law practice in Nigeria.

POWER TO AMEND THE RPC
It is unclear where the power to make and amend the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners is derived. The RPC 2007 in its commencement notes that the power is vested on the Attorney General and derives from section 12 (4) of the Legal Practitioners Act, 1990. Similarly, the new amendment is stated to be made pursuant to Section 12 (4) of the Legal Practitioners Act, Cap L11, LFN 2004. The RPC 2007 states in its commencement as follows:

“In exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 12(4) of the Legal Practitioners Act 1990, as amended, and of all other powers enabling me in that behalf, I, BAYO OJO, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice/Chairman, General Council of the Bar hereby make the following Rules”

Similarly, the 2020 amendment states in its commencement:

“In exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 12(4) of the Legal Practitioners Act Cap L11, LFN 2004 and of all other powers enabling me in that behalf, I, Abubakar Malami, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and President, General Council of the Bar make the following rules”

However, Section 12(4) of the Legal Practitioners Act which is referred to by both provides that:

“(4) The Appeal Committee shall cause notice of any direction given by it under this section to be served on the person to whom it relates.”

It may be too late in the day to argue that our hallowed RPC has shaky statutory basis, or perhaps, that is an argument for another day or another writer, or perhaps a judicial pronouncement. Since, the 2020 amendments contain similar provision to the substantive 2007 RPC, we shall proceed with the assumption that the Attorney General of the Federation has the powers to make and also amend the Rules of Professional Conduct.


THE NEW AMENDMENTS TO THE RPC

The Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners (Amendment) Rules 2020 provides that
“The Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2007 is amended by deleting the following rules namely; 9(2), 10, 11, 12 and 13.”

IMPLICATION
Lawyers For Government & Ministries No Longer Need To Pay Annual Bar Practicing Fees:
Rule 9(2) of the RPC 2007 Provided that:

“A lawyer shall not sign documents, pleadings, affidavits, depositions, applications, instruments, agreements, letters, deeds, letters memorandum, reports, legal opinions or similar documents or process or file such documents as a legal practitioner, legal officer or adviser of any Governmental department or Ministry or any corporation when he is in default of payment of his Annual Practicing Fees.

The implication of the removal of this rule is that a legal practitioner, legal officer or adviser of any Governmental department or Ministry or any corporation can sign and file all legal documents, including court papers, without paying their Bar Practicing Fees. However, the amendment does not permit such legal practitioner to appear in court. This is because, the right of audience in court is not a matter of the Rules but a m

This lawyer hasn't paid his Bar Practice Fee for at least three years.

Must be a Yoruboid fucktad.

Thinking that Malami is siding the northern breakaway lawyers.

File a suit, Mr. Newter!

Amendment;

@Op is even the lawyer.


Guy, you've been heard.

Just vanish.

The needful has been done.

vanida6:
Buhari

Is a murderer, looter, illiterate, ethnist, fool and a terrorist!

Dem ah terrorists

yarimo:
mtceeew after you, pdp and GEJ crumbles it to 98%

Afubeghim anu ofia di ka gi.

Ibudi nwa ekwensu k'obu ekwensu na onwe ya?

Onye mmuo nwuru anwu!

Just nwuo kita!

IamWonderful:
Is that convited criminal orji uZo Kalu a sitting governor of kirikiri maximum prison.

Oversabi.

He has a right to sense anybody whether a sitting governor or not.

yinchar:
STOP THE HATE

You can just ignore. Too much hate already in this world.

PEACE

The subject of hate is quite evil.


So don't blame the niqqa

asanwafo:
Nwanne mo. I no nwabe?

Mbena be m nö

Ize iyamu is desperate and it's very bad

SUPERPACK:
Even if you have a gun you are not allowed to shoot such animals in India, they are actually protected by the law. If you watch very well you will see that no one made an attempt to kill it.

My mind

asanwafo:
nwanne je no r nwayo

Omed aga dianyi?

Gede ihe b nsogbu g?

asanwafo:
Ukwu ko oshi

Ib' onye ụriọtọ.

Enya pia g hube!

asanwafo:
Ukwu ko oshi

Igri n'ayi g

asanwafo:
Is not on anybody's head. Since u are in support of this guy, ur family will cry like those he has killed their loved ones so that they will have a feel of what is taste like loosing a love one to a dreaded thug of his type. Even if he was fight the herders, was he fighting them as what; Police, neighbourhood watch member or an army officer?

Rie nsi!

Buhari should just kaput for Nigerians to breathe!

If you agree please press like.

ClassicMG:
I won't stoop so low to that your level of idiocy

You nor see am...!


Yorubodic comment.

Onuoraijele:
I have lived in Benue state for over 20yrs now. That Gana has killed more Benue people. I don't know where you people are getting your informations from. That man is only after money and power. He has murdered alot of Agatu and Tiv people. Politicians in Benue state also use him to cause unrest. I don't know why you all seeing him as a Hero because they told you he is killing herdsmen

You must be a Fulani.

That guy blood will and is on your head!

ClassicMG:
In as much as I don't support extra judicial killing. I think the political leaders of benue are not been sincere with the whole thing.. he probably might be their machinery, going by how they are sympathetic to someone who according to them has killed so many people

Yoruboid

DICKstractor:
That's why I hate this oversabi veterinarians. Why not put knife through that tortoise throat before it dies. 75years is already a long year for it. It has lived a fulfilled life and it was time for it to continue it legacy in the stomach


See how this people just missed tortoise pepper soup with it shell as plate


Should I burst your bubbles?

That wasn't an accident. It was as a result of the tortoise's cunny life that got it into this mess. The tortoise was thrown down from the sky by the birds after claiming that its name is "all of you" so as to eat all the food presented to them in the feast held in the sky


Dah... What I'm I even saying

Wow, you nailed it there.

Indomie gen nor go know

I'm coming with mine too

Lol

Simplyleo:
You are a Nigeria?

Abeg, which kind engrish be dis?

Is it Aba made?

It is ikpu nne gi made

allthingsgood:
Buhari is your problem or the decayed and dead morals of Nigerians. Even u that is talking if they give u chance u will do worst. Buhari remain the best president is 1999.

Illiterate talk

donnie:
My friend look up the definition of swarthy and don't be silly.

Very uncivilized bloke you're!

MuttleyLaff:
Please answer the three easy, direct, simple, innocent, harmless and straightforward questions

Also let's find out how honest, sincere and truthful you are. Is olive skinned not in then list off the definition for swarthy, hmm?

I think it will be silly of you to deny or refute this, don't you?

Why use foul language in every breath?


You OK?

On drugs?

OK