Increase in Cases of Impersonation of Lawyers in Nigeria: Making Case for Reforms

Lawyering and legal practice require proper certification by the regulatory bodies in the legal profession in line with extant legislations. It is getting worrisome to see persons not called to the Bar rendering services to undiscerning clients, albeit illegally. The vice of impersonation is on the increase within the Nigerian legal market. Cases of fake lawyers across the Nigerian legal hemisphere are being reported almost on a monthly basis. This paper reconciles the extant provisions dealing with the impersonation of lawyers in Nigeria by virtue of section 22 of the Legal Practitioners Act 2004. It further examines contemporary impersonation practices in other jurisdictions and the Nigerian Legal market. The paper ends with suggested reforms such as a review of the provisions of extant statutes in this respect and a call for other socio-legal alternatives towards curbing the menace