Lawyers urged to prevent loss of confidence in justice system

Lawyers urged to prevent loss of confidence in justice system

Lawyers urged to prevent loss of confidence in justice system

A lawyer, Adetunji Oyeyipo (SAN), has
urged lawyers to bear in mind at all
times that their services are geared
towards maintaining the fabric of the
society and preventing general
disaffection or loss of confidence by
members of the society in the justice
system.
He stated this at a dinner organised in
honor of Dr. Oladapo Olumide
Olanipekun SAN, on his recent
conferment into the inner Bar as a
Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
The event which was well attended had a
roll call of who is who in the legal
profession, ranging from members of the
outer and inner bar, judges and captains
of industries.
Speaking on the topic, “The legal
profession and professionalism”,
Oyeyipo stated further that, it is of
paramount importance to note that a
Legal Practitioner is a professional. He is
practicing a profession, which appears
quite obvious but the full implication of
this is often lost on many, including
those engaged in the profession.
“I make bold to say that the possession of
a law degree and call to bar certificate is
only prima facie proof that the holder is
a professional lawyer. There is much
more to it. A professional is a member of
a profession as stated earlier, he stated.
He also stated further that, lawyers are
therefore as necessary to the existence of
human beings in societies as the very air
we breathe. “Without law and order
chaos will be the order of the day”, he
declared.
Oyeyipo described the Legal Profession
as about the most reviled profession in
the world, saying: “I do not know of any
profession that has been the subject of
snide, cruel and distasteful remarks and
attacks by the very public which it seeks
to protect.
“A Legal Practitioner is therefore a
person who holds himself out as
belonging to a group of people who
render professional legal service to the
community and who is bound to apply
skill, competence, diligence,
confidentiality, honesty and impartiality
in the performance of the service.”
He also admonished legal practitioners to
be of good conduct towards the courts as
it is the measure of a lawyers
professionalism.
The correct attitude to the court,
according to him, is one of deep respect,
candor and readiness to uphold the
dignity of the bench at all times.
He further added, that a legal
practitioner should not mislead the court
on a point of law or issue of fact.
“If counsel misleads the court on the
facts to the knowledge of the client, the
client will definitely take a dim view of
the profession”, he concluded.

The former president of the Nigerian Bar
Association and father of the celebrant,
Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN; his wife,
Omolara; the newly conferred SAN, Dr.
Oladapo Olanipekun and his wife
Winnifred at the dinner in honour of
Oladapo in Lagos.