BALANCING LEGAL ETHICS, PROFESSIONALISM AND LAWYERS’ OBLIGATION IN MODERN NIGERIA

Abstract

This paper examines the concepts of law, ethics and the legal profession. Recent reports have shown that the number of Nigerian lawyers, found culpable for professional misconduct, has been on the increase, thereby bringing the profession to public ridicule. The objective of this paper is to explore the relationship between law and ethics particularly the influence of ethics on the legal profession. In the course of this study, the findings show that the belief, held by some members of the public, that for one to be a good lawyer, one must also be a good person, is a controversial one though it is understandable why the public feels justified in holding legal practitioners to high standards. The paper argues that professionalism may be viewed from different perspectives but however it is viewed; there should be a common ethical standard applicable to all lawyers, irrespective of their personal moral leanings. Most importantly, a lawyer should be able to strike a balance between executing his client’s instructions and upholding the ethics of the profession. The paper recommends that the legal profession, particularly in contemporary Nigeria, should continue to be regulated to preserve public trust.