INTRODUCTION
The Section of Legal Practice held its 3rd Annual Conference at the Hamdala Hotel, Kaduna from 3rd to 6th November 2009 with the theme 'Legal practice: Changing times, changing strategies'. The conference was attended by over 450 delegates from nearly all the states from the Federation. Delegates at the various session discussed (1) the need to enhance the status of judicial officers at the lower Bench to ensure the integrity of the judicial system. (2) The need to adopt new billing strategy by lawyers to avoid breaching the Rules of Professional Ethics, (3) The seemingly criminality of the financial transaction which may have an adverse effect on the Country’s economy. (4) The need for lawyers to be conversant with the Rules of Professional Conduct and comply with same, (5) Discuss the relationship between senior and junior lawyers in the way Law Firms and Chambers are established and run and; finally discussed the use of land as means of creating wealth in the Country. At the end of the three-day conference, the Section resolved as follows-
1. That the Section deprecates the attitude of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and security agencies which have turned themselves into debt recovery agents and emphasized that financial transactions between banks and their customers are contractual which cannot be criminalised by mere imputation of the regulatory agencies.
2. The Section also calls on the Federal Government to take appropriate steps that will address the inadequacies and lapses in the current regulatory regime and introduce legislations that will forestall further crisis in the Banking industry
3. The Section frowns at imposition of stringent conditions for Bail to accused persons on offences that are ordinarily bailable and recommends to judicial officers to follow laid down precedents that recognises bail as a right.
4. The Section encourages Government at all levels to put in place measures that will enhance proper and systematic registration of landed properties and eliminates the bottleneck that hinders proper capital flow.
5. The Section condemns inadequate remuneration of judicial officers by some states, especially at the magistracy level, and recommends that state governments should ensure adequate welfare for their magistrates as incentives for delivery of service.
6. The Section calls on the various governments to, as a matter national Responsibility, look into the demands of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria with a view to halting the ongoing strike which has paralysed activities at all the Courts in the Country.
7. The Section tasks members of the Legal Profession to continuously update their knowledge through continuous Legal education and other activities capable of expanding the frontiers of their skills in order to remain competitive in this era of fledgling globalised economy.
8. The Section observes that with the changing times and globalisation, lawyers should adopt such principles of charging that will enhance the good of the profession, access to justice and maintenance of justice.
9. The Section emphasizes the importance of adherence by lawyers to the Rules of Professional Ethics while stressing that the future of the profession rests on unqualified observance of these rules.
10. The Section observes that the present regime of remuneration of the juniors is undignified and a denigration of the public perception of the status of a Legal Practitioner and recommends that the senior members should pay the junior ones wages that takes cognisance of the present economic
realities.
11. The Section tasks the senior members of the profession to embrace the culture of mentoring the junior ones in order to instil in them enduring virtues as worthy legacy for the profession.
12. The Section states that partnership may assist successful practice in this era of specialisation and global approach to the practice of Law.
13. The Section acknowledges the fact that the 2007 Rules of Professional Ethics as seen currently is inadequate, it however noted that the rules were enacted after 12 years of its being drafted and therefore needs to be updated and recommended that the copies of the rules be distributed to all branches for transmission to members.
14. The Section advocates mutuality of respect between the Bar and the Bench and advises both not to employ indecent language which undermines the sanctity of the Court and exposes the profession to public odium and ridicule.
15. The Section expresses its gratitude to His Excellency Arc, Mohammed Namadi Sambo, for his support in making the conference a success and also expresses its thanks to the Governors of Rivers, Osun and Delta States, who are ably represented by their Deputies, for their collaboration and participation in all the activities at the conference.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
RETRACTION AND APOLOGY ON YOUR LEAD STORY CONCERNING MY PERSON
O.A. AKINLAJA & CO.
L.L.B (Hons.) B.L.
JULIUS CAESAR CHAMBERS
Solicitor & Advocates of the Supreme Court of Nigeria
Tel: 08037121762, 07028058008
Office Address:
201, Ojo Igbede Road
Ajangbadi Ojo
Lagos State
13th October, 2009
Adesina Ogunlana Esq.
Editor-in-Chief
Squib Magazine
197A Ikorodu Road,
Palm-grove, Lagos.
Dear Sir,
RETRACTION AND APOLOGY ON YOUR LEAD STORY
CONCERNING MY PERSON
That I bought your Squib Magazine on Tuesday 13th October, 2009 and on the front-page was my picture with the Question, When Can Lawyers dress Shabbily? At page four (4) of the Magazine at line 11, you made this statement, “looking frankly humble in his dirty habiliments.”
You also wrote, Akinlaja, a habitually dirty dresser had an excuse “I left home very early, around 6:00am and did not notice that my Suit was dirty.” Of course that a story best told to the Marines.”
That in the story proper at page 8 at line 14 to 21, you wrote and I quote “Mr. Olusesan Akinlaja (1991) cut such an extremely shabby appearance, that he could easily be mistaken for a tramp about loud or an academic who had just embarked on a journey of innocuous insanity.”
That describing me further at Page 22, you wrote “Akinlaja shoes were a pair of Tennis footwear, of course had no socks on. His trousers a blue khaki jeans shared no affinity with his jacket and was dirty. But the light blue stripped jacket, Akinlaja had on was even dirtier, grimer actually is the word; his shirt lost its whiteness may be as way back in time as 2007 and his bib, wrinkled and browned as it were, would serve as fair camouflage for an aparo (patridge).”
At page 43, you wrote further “To complete the story of his shabbiness, Akinlaja presented an unshaven cheeks and chin which sprouted short white hairs” At page 48, you wrote as follows:
Indeed Akinlaja was an unsightly figure on the said day. “Yet this was a legal practitioner who on the sheer terrible sight he presented on that day, properly deserved a suspension from the profession except it be proven that he was suffering from insanity.
That I have read through your Magazine and being a graduate of English Language, it is to be taken that you understood all the words deliberately used by you in that Magazine.
That I am using this medium to demand an apology from you to be published in three subsequent editions of Squib Magazine and a sum of Two Million Naira as General Damages from you for the exceptional embarrassment you caused me, my Chambers and all persons who are related to me either professionally or otherwise; knowing fully that I am also an Author.
That you have only 7 days to make amend after which I shall sue you in the High Court of Lagos State for Libel. That I know you to be a fighter and shall be glad to cross word(sic) with you legally.
Thanks.
Yours sincerely,
L.L.B (Hons.) B.L.
JULIUS CAESAR CHAMBERS
Solicitor & Advocates of the Supreme Court of Nigeria
Tel: 08037121762, 07028058008
Office Address:
201, Ojo Igbede Road
Ajangbadi Ojo
Lagos State
13th October, 2009
Adesina Ogunlana Esq.
Editor-in-Chief
Squib Magazine
197A Ikorodu Road,
Palm-grove, Lagos.
Dear Sir,
RETRACTION AND APOLOGY ON YOUR LEAD STORY
CONCERNING MY PERSON
That I bought your Squib Magazine on Tuesday 13th October, 2009 and on the front-page was my picture with the Question, When Can Lawyers dress Shabbily? At page four (4) of the Magazine at line 11, you made this statement, “looking frankly humble in his dirty habiliments.”
You also wrote, Akinlaja, a habitually dirty dresser had an excuse “I left home very early, around 6:00am and did not notice that my Suit was dirty.” Of course that a story best told to the Marines.”
That in the story proper at page 8 at line 14 to 21, you wrote and I quote “Mr. Olusesan Akinlaja (1991) cut such an extremely shabby appearance, that he could easily be mistaken for a tramp about loud or an academic who had just embarked on a journey of innocuous insanity.”
That describing me further at Page 22, you wrote “Akinlaja shoes were a pair of Tennis footwear, of course had no socks on. His trousers a blue khaki jeans shared no affinity with his jacket and was dirty. But the light blue stripped jacket, Akinlaja had on was even dirtier, grimer actually is the word; his shirt lost its whiteness may be as way back in time as 2007 and his bib, wrinkled and browned as it were, would serve as fair camouflage for an aparo (patridge).”
At page 43, you wrote further “To complete the story of his shabbiness, Akinlaja presented an unshaven cheeks and chin which sprouted short white hairs” At page 48, you wrote as follows:
Indeed Akinlaja was an unsightly figure on the said day. “Yet this was a legal practitioner who on the sheer terrible sight he presented on that day, properly deserved a suspension from the profession except it be proven that he was suffering from insanity.
That I have read through your Magazine and being a graduate of English Language, it is to be taken that you understood all the words deliberately used by you in that Magazine.
That I am using this medium to demand an apology from you to be published in three subsequent editions of Squib Magazine and a sum of Two Million Naira as General Damages from you for the exceptional embarrassment you caused me, my Chambers and all persons who are related to me either professionally or otherwise; knowing fully that I am also an Author.
That you have only 7 days to make amend after which I shall sue you in the High Court of Lagos State for Libel. That I know you to be a fighter and shall be glad to cross word(sic) with you legally.
Thanks.
Yours sincerely,
Julius Akinlaja Esq.
Solicitor
SAID STORY CAN BE ACCESSED AT:
(Vol 10 No 6) POSTING SCHEDULE OF MAGISTRATES FOR THE YEAR 2009/10
Office of the Hon. Chief Judge
High Court of Lagos State,
Lagos
2nd October 2009
Ref. No. CJL/JUD/006/VOL.VII/13
TO:
All Magistrates
Lagos State Judiciary
CIRCULAR
POSTING SCHEDULE OF MAGISTRATES FOR THE YEAR 2009/10
1. The following postings are hereby published for general information and due compliance.
2. All Magistrates are to compile a list of part-heard matters in their Courts and forward same to DCR (Legal) High Court, Ikeja for necessary action.
3. The Magistrates who are yet to go on their Year 2009 annual leave are to liaise with the DCR (Admin.), Ikeja so as to arrange for the persons that would relieve them.
4. This posting takes effect 7 (seven) days after the receipt and acknowledgment on record of this Circular by Magistrates to enable proper compliance with the directive in paragraph 2 above.
HON. JUSTICE (MRS.) I.E. AKANDE
CHIEF JUDGE OF LAGOS STATE
NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION NBA ANNUAL GENERAL CONFERENCE 2009: THE MOTHER OF ALL CONFERENCES By: Ademola A. Adewale
The recently concluded NBA Annual General Conference 2009 which held between the 15th - 21st August 2009 in the city of Lagos after about decades absence from the nation's commercial capital was indeed a major milestone in the annals of Annual Conferences of the NBA; it can without any fear of contradiction, be aptly dubbed the mother of all conferences.
It was on all accounts an outstanding success establishing a superlative template from which all other Bar Conferences will henceforth be assessed. Indeed, the next annual Bar Conference scheduled to hold in 20101n the nation's capital Abuja has its work clearly cut out.
The 2009 Lagos Conference was a classic even if rare show of our greatness as a nation and the limitless potentials of visionary leadership and planning when displayed with unwavering commitment. In the process many myths were shattered and stereotypes debunked. For a long time Lagos had been denied the Hosting rights to the conference in favour of much smaller states/cities on the nebulous claim of being a security nightmare yet Ten Thousand Sharply dressed brief case carrying lawyers swooped on the City at the peak of the conference, there were no single reported incident of armed robbery, mugging and bag snatching, there were of course myriad incidents of missing phones, wallets and pilfering as could be expected of such an occasion even in safe Geneva and Dubai. Equally shattered was the notion that the ordinarilly challenging traffic situation in the city will go hay wire if a large number of people and vehicles were to congregate in any part of the city famed worldwide for its intractable snarling traffic known in local palance as "hold up" or "go slow" with skilful and astute traffic management Lagos miraculously managed to have some semblance of order in the notoriously busy Victoria Island/Lekki corridor. That is inspite of throwing 40 Lagabus buses all fully conditioned into the mix. Throughout the duration of the conference branded buses were available to transport delegates from the venue of the Conference at Eko Holiday Inn and Suites to various locations in the State as far flung as from Ajah – to Toll Gate and from Festac to Ocean View parking lot from 7am - 10pm daily with the result that many mobile delegates found it convenient to park their cars at the Hotel throughout the conference shuttling between the conference and Hotel rooms in the fully air-conditioned buses. On the first working day of the conference, there was a General/Lunch. Even earlier on Sunday the 16th August there was a well attended cocktail party where sumptuous refreshment were served. Then throughout the duration of the conference there was affordable foods and drinks at the Friendship Centre at the Ocean View by the Bar Beach specially set up for the conference. A resident DJ. was also on hand to dish out both the latest and current musical vibes interlaced with ever green hits of the days of yore.
Conference materials in terms of publications, magazines, leaflets and even CD's and D.V.D's were available in over abundance. As for vendors of Books, Law texts, Robes, wigs and all manner of professional accessories, shirts, collars, collarettes, Bibs, wind collars, trousers etc they made impressive sales all throughout the conference and many of them must still be smiling, all the way to the Banks several days after.
As is usual with all Bar Conferences long lost friends, colleagues were reunited with new friendships, alliances and partnerships struck. Talking about reunions the 1986 set of the Nigerian Law School to which I proudly belong held its annual re-union dinner which to me was one of the high points of the conference. More will be said about this reunion later.
In the area of lectures, seminars, workshops, symposia and the intellectual and professional education that is the hallmark of the Legal Profession, the 2009 Bar. Conference raised the standard to the next level with an impressive array of very erudite and reputable Guest Lecturers and Discussants who had achieved distinction in their specializations from where they educated their colleagues. The choice of topics spanned a wide range of issues of the day from electoral reforms, toe- commerce, admissibility of electronic generated evidence, Legal framework for the convergence of digital technology and ICT, Trial by Media. Constitutional amendment etc were not any less impressive. There was a deluge of conference materials with every conferee leaving the conference with huge wad of legal literature and materials.
Daily, conference halls were set up with a bottle of water on every seat and legal literature, while in the area of sanitation the activities of LAWMA Lagos State Waste Management Authority were commendable, almost every 5 minutes; LAWMA cleaners went round the halls picking up litter and debris and dropping them into large black cellophane bags and carting them away at regular intervals. Mobile toilets were also available for free to everyone pressed to answer the call of nature.
Over all it was a grand performance by every one connected with the organization of the 2009 Bar Conference, the Lagos State Government, the Conference Planning Committee, the Local Organisation Committee and the 3 branches of the NBA in Lagos State.
Indeed it will take a book-like report to fully capture the essence of the conference all that can be attempted in this short article is to highlight some of the more memorable events and to capture the highlights of the conference on a day to day basis.
It was on all accounts an outstanding success establishing a superlative template from which all other Bar Conferences will henceforth be assessed. Indeed, the next annual Bar Conference scheduled to hold in 20101n the nation's capital Abuja has its work clearly cut out.
The 2009 Lagos Conference was a classic even if rare show of our greatness as a nation and the limitless potentials of visionary leadership and planning when displayed with unwavering commitment. In the process many myths were shattered and stereotypes debunked. For a long time Lagos had been denied the Hosting rights to the conference in favour of much smaller states/cities on the nebulous claim of being a security nightmare yet Ten Thousand Sharply dressed brief case carrying lawyers swooped on the City at the peak of the conference, there were no single reported incident of armed robbery, mugging and bag snatching, there were of course myriad incidents of missing phones, wallets and pilfering as could be expected of such an occasion even in safe Geneva and Dubai. Equally shattered was the notion that the ordinarilly challenging traffic situation in the city will go hay wire if a large number of people and vehicles were to congregate in any part of the city famed worldwide for its intractable snarling traffic known in local palance as "hold up" or "go slow" with skilful and astute traffic management Lagos miraculously managed to have some semblance of order in the notoriously busy Victoria Island/Lekki corridor. That is inspite of throwing 40 Lagabus buses all fully conditioned into the mix. Throughout the duration of the conference branded buses were available to transport delegates from the venue of the Conference at Eko Holiday Inn and Suites to various locations in the State as far flung as from Ajah – to Toll Gate and from Festac to Ocean View parking lot from 7am - 10pm daily with the result that many mobile delegates found it convenient to park their cars at the Hotel throughout the conference shuttling between the conference and Hotel rooms in the fully air-conditioned buses. On the first working day of the conference, there was a General/Lunch. Even earlier on Sunday the 16th August there was a well attended cocktail party where sumptuous refreshment were served. Then throughout the duration of the conference there was affordable foods and drinks at the Friendship Centre at the Ocean View by the Bar Beach specially set up for the conference. A resident DJ. was also on hand to dish out both the latest and current musical vibes interlaced with ever green hits of the days of yore.
Conference materials in terms of publications, magazines, leaflets and even CD's and D.V.D's were available in over abundance. As for vendors of Books, Law texts, Robes, wigs and all manner of professional accessories, shirts, collars, collarettes, Bibs, wind collars, trousers etc they made impressive sales all throughout the conference and many of them must still be smiling, all the way to the Banks several days after.
As is usual with all Bar Conferences long lost friends, colleagues were reunited with new friendships, alliances and partnerships struck. Talking about reunions the 1986 set of the Nigerian Law School to which I proudly belong held its annual re-union dinner which to me was one of the high points of the conference. More will be said about this reunion later.
In the area of lectures, seminars, workshops, symposia and the intellectual and professional education that is the hallmark of the Legal Profession, the 2009 Bar. Conference raised the standard to the next level with an impressive array of very erudite and reputable Guest Lecturers and Discussants who had achieved distinction in their specializations from where they educated their colleagues. The choice of topics spanned a wide range of issues of the day from electoral reforms, toe- commerce, admissibility of electronic generated evidence, Legal framework for the convergence of digital technology and ICT, Trial by Media. Constitutional amendment etc were not any less impressive. There was a deluge of conference materials with every conferee leaving the conference with huge wad of legal literature and materials.
Daily, conference halls were set up with a bottle of water on every seat and legal literature, while in the area of sanitation the activities of LAWMA Lagos State Waste Management Authority were commendable, almost every 5 minutes; LAWMA cleaners went round the halls picking up litter and debris and dropping them into large black cellophane bags and carting them away at regular intervals. Mobile toilets were also available for free to everyone pressed to answer the call of nature.
Over all it was a grand performance by every one connected with the organization of the 2009 Bar Conference, the Lagos State Government, the Conference Planning Committee, the Local Organisation Committee and the 3 branches of the NBA in Lagos State.
Indeed it will take a book-like report to fully capture the essence of the conference all that can be attempted in this short article is to highlight some of the more memorable events and to capture the highlights of the conference on a day to day basis.
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