The Senate on Wednesday advanced deliberations on a landmark bill seeking to overhaul the Legal Practitioners Act, 2004, with a central proposal mandating a two-year pupillage for lawyers newly called to the Nigerian Bar.
The bill, sponsored by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, scaled second reading after robust debate during plenary. It forms part of a sweeping effort to modernise legal practice in Nigeria and bring it in line with global standards in jurisdictions such as the United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa and Kenya.
Presiding over the session, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin put the proposal to a voice vote, securing unanimous approval. The Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters is expected to convene a public hearing and submit its report within two weeks.
Leading the debate, Bamidele underscored the inadequacy of the current legal framework, describing the nearly 60-year-old Act as outdated in both content and structure. He noted that technological advancement, digital court systems, cross-border transactions and evolving ethical expectations have transformed legal practice beyond what the existing law accommodates.
“The nature of legal practice today has drastically evolved,” he said. “Accordingly, our regulatory framework must evolve to meet these new realities.”
A major thrust of the proposed amendments is the restructuring of the Body of Benchers, which is to be strengthened as the apex regulatory institution for the legal profession. Under the bill, the body would gain corporate legal personality, financial autonomy, an enhanced secretariat and expanded powers for rule-making and oversight.
The bill also addresses longstanding concerns over the inefficiency of the disciplinary process for lawyers. It proposes a decentralised Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) with multiple panels nationwide, clearer sanctioning powers ranging from suspension to striking off, and mandatory publication of all decisions. Practitioners will maintain a right of appeal to the Supreme Court.
Another key feature is the establishment of an Ethics, Adherence and Enforcement Committee—an investigative body empowered to inspect law offices, demand records, probe complaints and prosecute cases before the LPDC.
At the heart of the reform is the introduction of a compulsory two-year pupillage scheme for new lawyers, except in special circumstances. Bamidele said the measure would provide young lawyers with essential hands-on training, professional grounding and mentorship before they practise independently.
The bill further proposes compulsory continuing professional development as a condition for renewing practising licences—an attempt to ensure lawyers remain current throughout their careers.
To curb the rise of impostors posing as legal practitioners, the legislation criminalises unauthorised legal practice and clearly defines its scope, with penalties attached.
The reform package also covers the regulation of foreign lawyers, a review of the criteria for conferring the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and stronger safeguards for clients’ interests and funds.
Supporting the bill, Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno, drew from his more than three decades at the bar to affirm the urgency of the reforms.
“This bill is apt and germane,” he said. “We are in a digital age, and our legal profession must reflect these realities.”
The Senate’s decision marks a significant step in what could become the most comprehensive transformation of Nigeria’s legal regulatory framework in decades.
