Supreme Court has ordered lawyers to stop using the title “Barrister” or “Barr.” as a prefix in all official interactions with the apex court.
In a memo dated July 13 and signed by Chief Registrar Kabir E. Akanbi, Esq., the court said the use of the title is “inappropriate and inconsistent with the standards of professionalism expected within the Supreme Court of Nigeria.”
The directive, issued on the orders of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, takes immediate effect and applies to official correspondence, records, documents, identity cards and any other engagements with the court.
“All officers concerned are hereby directed to discontinue the use of the title ‘Barrister’ before their names,” the memo stated. Heads of departments were instructed to ensure compliance.
Nigerian lawyers are called to the bar as “Barristers and Solicitors of the Supreme Court.” Over time, “Barr.” became a common prefix on letterheads, court filings and professional materials. The Chief Registrar himself signed the memo using “Esq.,” the form the court now prefers.
Reactions among lawyers have been mixed. A Senior Advocate of Nigeria in Abuja, who asked not to be named, described the move as “long overdue.”
“We are Barristers and Solicitors of the Supreme Court. The title is not a prefix. In the UK, US, Canada, you don’t see ‘Barrister John Doe’ on court papers. It’s just John Doe, Esq. This brings us in line with global best practice,” he said.
A young litigator who uses “Barr.” on her letterhead disagreed. “This feels like erasing our identity. ‘Barrister’ is how the public knows us. Clients look for ‘Barrister’. To just drop it overnight without sensitization is harsh,” she said.
A Supreme Court registrar confirmed the memo has been circulated internally. “From now, filings with ‘Barr.’ will be queried. We are to return them for correction, the CJN wants uniformity,” he told reporters.
Legal analysts view the directive as part of a broader effort to standardise court documentation and align Nigerian practice with international norms. The memo concluded: “Please be guided accordingly.”
