A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe, has raised strong concerns over the proposed Legal Practitioners Bill 2025, warning that key provisions could impose significant economic and professional burdens on young lawyers entering the Nigerian legal system.

Akangbe, a former chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Lagos Branch, argued that while reform of the legal profession is necessary, the current draft risks restricting opportunities rather than expanding them.

At the centre of the criticism is the Bill’s proposal to introduce a compulsory two-year post-call pupillage for newly qualified lawyers.

According to Akangbe, although mentorship and structured training are essential, Nigeria’s legal sector currently lacks the institutional capacity to absorb thousands of new lawyers into supervised placements annually.

He warned that the provision effectively bars newly called lawyers from independent practice without guaranteeing placement opportunities, creating what he described as a systemic bottleneck.

“The Bill creates an obligation without guaranteeing opportunity,” he noted, questioning the fate of qualified lawyers unable to secure pupillage positions.

Akangbe also highlighted the absence of statutory protections regarding remuneration during the proposed pupillage period.

He noted that critical safeguards, including minimum pay, supervision standards, and complaint mechanisms, are left to future regulations rather than being clearly defined in the law.

This, he said, could expose young lawyers to prolonged low income or unpaid work, worsening financial pressures for those already facing economic challenges after law school.

He warned that such uncertainty may discourage talented individuals from pursuing legal careers, particularly those from less privileged backgrounds.

The senior lawyer further criticised the Bill’s proposal to vest annual practising licence issuance in the Nigerian Bar Association.

He argued that the NBA, as a representative and advocacy body, should not function as a regulator, stressing the importance of maintaining a clear separation between representation and licensing authority.

Akangbe expressed concern over provisions requiring lawyers to satisfy the NBA of good character annually without clearly defined standards or appeal mechanisms.

According to him, such ambiguity could introduce uncertainty and perceptions of arbitrariness, particularly for young practitioners whose careers depend on licence renewal.

The Bill also proposes mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for licence renewal, a move Akangbe supports in principle.

However, he criticised the lack of clarity regarding minimum requirements, cost structures, and accessibility.

He warned that poorly structured CPD obligations could become an additional financial burden, especially for lawyers in smaller firms or rural areas.

Similarly, he noted that proposals for minimum remuneration for young lawyers, though well-intentioned, must be carefully designed to reflect market realities.

Rigid salary thresholds, he cautioned, could discourage small and medium-sized law firms from hiring entry-level lawyers, thereby reducing employment opportunities.

Akangbe also pointed to the absence of clear transitional provisions for current law students and recent graduates, describing it as a major gap that could create uncertainty within the profession.

He emphasised that reforms must be predictable, inclusive, and sensitive to socio-economic realities.

While acknowledging that the Bill is not beyond redemption, he called for substantial amendments, including clear and enforceable protections for pupillage, the establishment of an independent regulatory authority for licensing, defined, affordable and accessible CPD frameworks, transparent and fair transitional arrangements, and measures to protect the future of the legal profession.

Akangbe concluded that young lawyers should not bear the brunt of experimental regulatory reforms, stressing that they are the future custodians of the rule of law.

He urged the National Assembly to ensure that efforts to modernise the profession do not inadvertently create barriers that weaken its long-term sustainability.

“True reform does not burden the future; it equips it,” he said.

(Saturday Tribune)

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