Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Lawyers Verification, Nigeria Supreme Court Enrolment Numbers Search And Directory (Page 4)
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)
Management Of The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) is the statutory professional body of Nigerian lawyers or legal practitioners, i.e. all persons who have been duly called to the Nigerian Bar as Barristers and Solicitors of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
Section 1 of the Nigerian Legal Practitioners Act 1975 (Chapter or Cap. L11 of the Revised Edition of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004), an Act that re‐enacted the Nigerian Legal Practitioners Act 1962 with all its extant amendments, established the General Council of the Bar that is responsible for governance of the Nigerian Bar Association:
(1) There shall be a body to be known as the General Council of the Bar (in this Act referred to as “the Bar Council”) which shall be charged with the general management of the affairs of the Nigerian Bar Association (subject to any limitations for the time being provided by the constitution of the Association) and with any functions conferred on the Council by this Act or that constitution.
(2) The Bar Council shall consist of —
(a) the Attorney‐General of the Federation, who shall be the president of the Council;
(b) the Attorneys‐General of the States; and
(c) twenty members of the Association.
(3) The persons mentioned in paragraph (c) of subsection (2) of this section shall –
(a) be elected to serve on the Bar Council at elections in which all members of the Association are entitled to vote in such manner as may be provided by the constitution of the Association; and
(b) hold office for such period as may be determined by or under that constitution, and not less than seven of those persons shall be legal practitioners of not less than ten years’ standing.
(4) The quorum of the Bar Council shall be eight, and the Council may make standing orders regulating the procedure of the Council and, subject to the provisions of any such orders, may regulate its own proceedings; and no proceedings of the Council shall be invalidated by any vacancy in the membership of the Council, or by the fact that any person took part in the proceedings who was not entitled to do so.
Membership Of The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)
Membership of the Nigerian Bar Association is statutorily restricted to Nigerian lawyers or legal practitioners who have been called to the Nigerian Bar as Barristers and Solicitors of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. Every person who has been called to the Nigerian Bar enjoys automatic membership of the Nigerian Bar Association. According to Section 4 of the Nigerian Legal Practitioners Act 1975,
(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, a person shall be entitled to be called to the Bar if —
(a) he is a citizen of Nigeria; and
(b) he produces a qualifying certificate to the Benchers; and
(c) he satisfies the Benchers that he is of good character.
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, a person may also be entitled to be called to the Bar, if —
(a) he is a non‐citizen of Nigeria;
(b) he produces a qualifying certificate to the Benchers; and
(c) he satisfies the Benchers that he is of good character.
(3) The Council of Legal Education may by regulations provide that the provisions of paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of this section shall not apply in such cases and on such conditions (if any) as may be specified by the regulations.
(4) The Benchers shall issue to every person called to the Bar pursuant to subsections (1) and (2) of this section, a certificate of call to the Bar which shall be in such form as the Benchers may determine.
Verification Of Nigerian Lawyers Who Are Members Of The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Membership Verification Project
Some years ago, the Nigerian Bar Association embarked on a laudable landmark project to publish an authentic online database of all genuine Nigerian lawyers who are bona fide members of the Association. That project culminated in the official Nigerian Bar Association Directory of Lawyers. Only members of the Association who have completed the online verification process are eligible for inclusion in the Directory.
The official statement of the Nigerian Bar Association on the verification of Nigerian lawyers is reproduced below. Any Nigerian lawyer who has not yet been verified can do so, via the official Nigerian Bar Association verification procedure at the end of the statement below.
“Over the years, perennial problems arising out of the imperfections in the Roll of Legal Practitioners have continued to limit the ability of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA and indeed the Supreme Court of Nigeria to regulate the practice of the profession with a reliable database of members. Some of the problems include wrong spelling of names, non-existent enrolment numbers, change of names through marriage effected by Deed Poll not being reflected in the Roll and some other noticeable defects.
“The NBA, in demonstration of awareness of the quagmire, by a resolution passed at NEC directed that a comprehensive Database of Nigerian Lawyers be compiled. The President of the NBA setup and inaugurated the Database & Documentation Of Nigerian Lawyers Committee. The Lawyers Database Committee and the Supreme Court of Nigeria have compiled the names and enrolment numbers of all lawyers called to Bar in Nigeria. In view of the above, the data compiled is now available for verification and updating of information contained therein, in order to ensure that no lawyer enrolled in Nigeria is left out of the database which will serve as a reference database of lawyers duly called to the Nigerian Bar.
“To qualify for verification and avoid infiltration of the process by fake lawyers, its mandatory for all legal practitioners meet the following requirements stated here below.
“The requirements for verification/updating are as follows:
- Call to Bar certificate (Original or Photocopy)
- Means of Identification (i.e International Passport, Drivers’ Licence or National Identity card)
- Proof of payment of Bar Practice fees (if paid offline)
- Proof of payment of Branch Dues (if paid offline)
- Evidence of Change of Name (if any)”
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Verification Form (Proof of Genuine Lawyers or Attorneys who are Members)
You can use the form on the official Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) website, for your verification. Remember, only the names of verified lawyers are published in the NBA official database of its members and only verified members can vote in the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) elections. Click here to access the NBA website and find the verification webpage.
Is there a Directory of Lawyers who are Members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)?
Yes. The free premium Nigerian Lawyers Directory is an exclusive online (digital or electronic) directory of lawyers, attorneys, and solicitors who are members of the Nigerian Bar Association.
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