INADEQUATE TRAINING ON PROFESSIONAL ETHICS: A FACTOR FOR PROFESSIONAL MISCONDUCT IN NIGERIAN LEGAL PROFESSION AND WAY FORWARD

Abstract

Cases of professional misconduct have continued to be on the increase in the Nigerian legal profession. This has reduced the confidence members of the public have in the profession. This paper identifies causes of professional misconduct among lawyers and members of the Bench in Nigeria. Few out of the many cases of discipline of judges and lawyers in the country who were found guilty of professional misconduct were listed. The paper also identifies some factors bordering on education as among the causes of increased professional misconduct in the legal profession. The causes include improper assessment of character of bar aspirants; late introduction of courses on rules of professional conduct; lack of post-call education and lastly inadequate time allotted to teaching on legal ethics. Finally, ways which these challenges would be solved were recommended.