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VOL. 11, ISSUE 8 (2025)
Strengthening the bar and bench collaboration: A pathway to professional discipline and justice delivery in Nigeria
Authors
Justice Ishaku Bello, Abubakar Sadiq Usman
Abstract
This paper interrogates the foundational
importance of Bar and Bench collaboration in promoting professional discipline
and enhancing justice delivery in Nigeria. Employing the doctrinal research
methodology, it undertakes a critical analysis of constitutional provisions,
statutory frameworks, ethical rules, and judicial codes, specifically the 1999
Constitution (as amended), the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners
2023, and the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers 2016. The study is uniquely
enriched by the personal and professional experiences of its co-authors: the
first, a retired Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and current
Chairman of the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), who has
traversed both the Bar and the Bench over four decades; and the second, a legal
practitioner in active practice and an academia of law. Their complementary
perspectives offer a layered insight into the ethical, procedural, and
institutional factors affecting the integrity of the justice system. The paper
identifies key impediments to effective Bar-Bench synergy, including
professional misconduct, inefficiency, courtroom incivility, and declining
public trust. It advocates for structural and ethical reforms such as
institutionalised Bar-Bench forums, joint capacity-building programmes, and
stricter enforcement of disciplinary codes as pathways to restoring public
confidence and fostering a justice system that is both credible and
accountable. The conclusion affirms that sustainable justice delivery in
Nigeria depends on principled collaboration between the Bar and the Bench,
anchored in mutual respect, ethical vigilance, and constitutional fidelity.
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Pages:36-41
How to cite this article:
Justice Ishaku Bello, Abubakar Sadiq Usman "Strengthening the bar and bench collaboration: A pathway to professional discipline and justice delivery in Nigeria". International Journal of Law, Vol 11, Issue 8, 2025, Pages 36-41
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