The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has released five things every Nigerian Lawyer must know. Below is a publication from the NBA Publicity Team.
In our continuous bid to wield out charlatans from legal practice and raise public confidence in the Bar, we opted to make public the *find a lawyer” feature on our portal (https://nigerianbar.org.ng/find-lawyer)
The feedbacks have been massive and reviews have indicated that we are about the only professional body offering such opportunity to members of the public.
Since the information went viral, colleagues have expectedly raised some issues which we shall attempt to address here under.
1. HOW THE NBA GENERATED THE NAMES IN OUR DATABASE AND ON THE PORTAL
Recall that upon call to bar, all counsel entered their names by hand in the Roll of Legal Practitioners at the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court reduces these names into electronic format and always affords the NBA the electronic copy a month or two after each call to bar exercise.
Hence, the names we have in our database are as received from the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
2. NAMES MISSPELLED OR IMPROPERLY ARRANGED
Members have complained that some of their names are not properly spelt while others have stated that their last names appear as middle or first names.
As stated above, names are as received from the Supreme Court. However, to resolve this, such member is advised to send a complaint mail to support@nigerianbar.org.ng. Counsel should attach his or her Call to Bar Certificate to the mail.
3. MARRIED FEMALE MEMBERS WHOSE NEW LAST NAMES ARE NOT REFLECTED IN THE DATABASE / MEMBERS WHO HAVE CHANGED THEIR NAMES SINCE CALL TO BAR
Another category is that of a member who had gone through the Supreme Court process of changing of name on the roll and his / her new names are not reflected on NBA Portal.
Such member is advised to do a complaint mail to support@nigerianbar.org.ng. He/she should attach his/her Call to Bar Certificate, Deed of Change of Name, Affidavit and Publication of Change of Name, Evidence of Payment of the last Bar Practicing Fee, a copy of the Application to the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court requesting for change of name and any evidence of the fact that the change of name has been effected.
4. MEMBERS WITH INCORRECT BRANCHES
Also, some members have been ascribed to branches other than the ones they actually belong to.
Any member who is in this category is advised to get verified on the NBA Membership Portal and go ahead to edit his or her Branch and update his/her further or other details including picture, email and contact address.
Follow this link to get verified
https://nigerianbar.org.ng/membership-portal
VERIFICATION NOTICE
Note further that only verified members may make the Request for correction of name in 1 and change of name in 2 above. Members are therefore urged to get verified.
5. NAME NOT FOUND ON THE PORTAL
A very few number of persons have complained that their names cannot be found on the NBA portal.
While we maintain that names are as received from the Supreme Court, we encourage such person to do a complaint mail to support@nigerianbar.org.ng. The Call to Bar Certificate of the complainant should be attached to the email.
Funmilola Faleye is a lifestyle reporter with Apples Bite Magazine. She sees and talks with her pen.