AGF to standardize remuneration of legal practitioners

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) on Monday, inaugurated Practitioner’s Remuneration Committee to look into the remuneration of lawyers in the country.
Malami said, the Legal Practitioners Act, established the committee to regulate and standardize the remuneration of legal practitioners in Nigeria.
Inaugurating the committee in Abuja said, finding a reasonable remuneration for legal services in Nigeria has been an issue of great controversy for legal practitioners and further explained that, “It has, and is still eliciting heated intellectual and non-intellectual debates by various countervailing interests.
“Despite the existence of a scale of charges for legal services in Nigeria, there have been repeated debates for, and against its existence.”
According to the AGF, some people have argued that a lawyer’s fees cannot, and should not be pigeonholed to a scale of charges due to the unique nature of the legal profession, while others, who canvass for its continued existence say, it has created order and certainty in the expected remuneration for legal services.
The AGF said, the scale of charges hitherto established are long overdue for review in view of the current national and economic realities, adding that, a situation where legal practitioners are paid pittance for the legal services they render must be thoroughly looked into and necessary steps taken to, not only safeguard the livelihood of lawyers, but ensure that legal practitioners are treated with the dignity and prestige they deserve.
The Committee therefore has the responsibility to critically review the scale of charges, taking into consideration prevailing challenges and experiences by legal practitioners as well as the nation’s current economic realities.
On the committee’s functions, Malami admonished members to be fair and to discharge its statutory responsibilities without fear or favour and stressed that, particular consideration should be given to the new wigs and young lawyers, as a way to encourage their dedication and commitment to justice delivery.
He said, his ministry is poised to continue to fulfil its mandate of improving the administration of justice in Nigeria, by providing necessary support to the NBA and ensuring that the association is well positioned to address the legal needs of legal practitioners and Nigerians as a whole.
In his speech, the President of the NBA, Mr. Yakubu Maikyau (SAN) said, the Legal Practitioners Remuneration Committee, which is a statutory committee, in line with the Legal Practitioners Act, allows it to look at lawyers’ remuneration.
He said, the last time lawyers’ remuneration was looked at was in 1991 and commended the AGF for his collaboration with the NBA in ensuring efficient administration of justice delivery in the country.
In his speech, the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice of Lagos state, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN) said, the scale of charges is to help the client, who needs the service of lawyers and also assists the lawyers themselves.
“If you want to consult a lawyer, you will know from the scale of charges what your legal fee will be. It provides for more transparency when it comes to lawyers’ charges. It is for the better for all us”, he said.