ALDRAP Writes LPPC Chairman, Chief Justice Kekere-Ekun Explaining why the Blue Silks Rank is Not Regulated by the Legal Practitioners Act, 1962

9th December 2025.

Chief Justice of Nigeria in your capacity as Chairman of the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC),

Dear CJN, Ma,

PUBLIC NOTICE-The Blue Silks ranks (of Senior Legislative Counsel of Nigeria-SELCON, Counsel of Nigeria-SCN and Senior Legal Academic-SLA) which is initiative of the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners-ALDRAP is not regulated by the Legal Practitioners Act, 1962

Let it be known that the said Blue Silks rank is a modified adaptation of the English common law tradition of keeping a Register of lawyers who are skilled in legislative drafting and other legal services for the Parliament of the United Kingdom. This practice has been a tradition since the year 1869. The criteria for any lawyer to be enrolled into the said Register is different from the criteria for conferement of the rank of King’s Counsel-KC of the United Kingdom.

The said Register is kept by the office of the Clerk to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

In similar manner, the Secretary to the National Assembly Service Commission is keeping a Register of lawyers who are skilled in legislative drafting and other legal services for the National Assembly. This serves as a pool from which they supply to the 469 legislators anything they demand for lawyers who can draft Bills for them.

The entry qualifications for lawyers to be enlisted on this said Register is holding a Bachelor of Laws-LLB degree alone and cognate experience in legislative drafting and other non-litigation aspects of legal practice.

This is different from the requirements for conferement of the rank of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) as spelt out under Sections 4 and 5 of the Legal Practitioners Act, 1962. It is a mandatory requirement that any candidate for the rank of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) must in addition to holding a Bachelor of Laws-LLB degree, must have satisfied the requirements and called to the Bar by the Body of Benchers. In addition to having spent a minimum of ten years post call-to-Bar.

Therefore, the lawyers to be conferred with the Blue Silks rank of Senior Counsel of Nigeria-SCN, Senior Legislative Counsel of Nigeria-SELCON and Senior Legal Academic-SLA, are not regulated by the Legal Practitioners Act, 1962 to the extent that there pre-requisite requirement is only holding a Bachelor of Laws-LLB degree which is the duty and under the sole regulation of of both the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Council of Legal Education.

In conclusion, neither the Nigerian Bar Association-NBA nor the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) can regulate or discipline persons who are taking a title based on holding a Bachelor of Laws-LLB which does not qualify them to fit into the definition of legal practitioners under the definition of the Legal Practitioners Act, 1962.

This public notice has become necessary because of the recent confusion and false narrative published inside the COMMUNIQUE of the Nigerian Bar Association-NBA National Executive Council dated 20th November 2025 and held at Benin city.

Yours faithfully,
Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja,
Secretary, Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners-ALDRAP

CC:

1. Chief Registrar, Supreme Court of Nigeria, Supreme Court Complex, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT);
2. Hon. Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT);
3. President of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, FCT;
4. President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Abuja, FCT;
5. Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja, FCT;
6. Presidents of the Customary Courts of Appeal of the 36 States of Nigeria and the FCT;
7. Presidents of the Customary Courts of Appeal of the 36 States of Nigeria and the FCT
8. Grand Khadis of the Sharia Courts of Appeal of the 19 Northern States of Nigeria and the FCT;
9. Administrator of the National Judicial Institute, Abuja, FCT;
10. Chairman of the Body of Benchers, Abuja, FCT;
11. Secretary to the Body of Benchers, Abuja, FCT;
12. Secretary to the National Judicial Council (NJC), Nigeria;
13. Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Abuja, FCT;
14. Attorneys-General of the 36 States of Nigeria and the FCT Solicitor-General.
15. President of the Tax Appeal Tribunal, Abuja, FCT