By Ise-Oluwa Ige
ABUJA — The Body of Benchers, yesterday, admitted 648 new lawyers to the legal profession.
The body, however, used the opportunity to advise the new wigs to uphold the rule of law, promote the cause of justice and shun all corrupt practices capable of tarnishing the image of the profession.

Chairman of the Body of Benchers, George Uwachue, SAN, who counseled the new lawyers yesterday at the headquarters of the Nigerian Law School in Bwari, Abuja,  however, acknowledged the new image of the Nigerian Law School under the leadership of Dr. Tahir Mamman.

He said that the standard of the school had greatly improved in the last few years.
His words: “I charge my brand new learned friends with the general responsibility to uphold the rule of law, promote and foster the cause of justice, maintain a high standard of professional conduct and not to engage in any conduct unbecoming of legal practitioners such as corrupt practices or actions that may diminish the honour and dignity that have earned the legal professional its distinction from other professions.”

According to him, it is the duty of every lawyer to devote his attention, energy and expertise to the service of his client and subject to any rule of law, to act in a manner consistent with the best interest of the clients.

He said: “Without prejudice to the generality of this statement a lawyer must consult his client in all questions of doubt which do not fall within his discretion. He must be honest to his client and where he considers the client’s claim or defence to be hopeless inform him accordingly.”

Uwachue charged the new lawyers to avoid doing anything that might obstruct delay or adversely affect the administration of justice.

Earlier, the Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, Dr. Tahir Mamman had while presenting the new lawyers to the Body of Benchers pointed out that they had successfully completed their vocational training at the law school and passed the prescribed examinations and met other standards required by the Council of Legal Education and the Body of Benchers.

His words “I am happy to affirm that they have exhibited good manners and decorum during their training and have been groomed in the culture of our noble profession. We had closely monitored them during their training and I vouch for each and every one of them as men and women of integrity and discipline as demanded by your august body for the profession.

“Your screening Committee had carefully looked into the records of each one of them and found them worthy for call to the Nigerian Bar and their report has been approved by the Body” he added.

He said that the school had developed a new curriculum that would lift the standard of the school to the highest standards.

He called for an improved funding for the Nigerian Law School to enable it carry out its activities and reforms.