By The9jaTREND
The Supreme Court of Nigeria has dropped the gavel on “Barr.” — banning lawyers from using the title as a prefix in all official court dealings.
In a memo dated 13th July, 2026, signed by Chief Registrar Kabir E. Akanbi, Esq., the court said the practice is “inappropriate and inconsistent with the standards of professionalism expected within the Supreme Court of Nigeria.”
The directive, issued on the orders of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, takes immediate effect and covers official correspondence, records, documents, ID cards, and “any other official engagements” with the apex court.
“All officers concerned are hereby directed to discontinue the use of the title ‘Barrister’ before their names,” the memo read. Heads of Departments were also told to enforce compliance.
Mixed Reactions From The Bar
The directive has split opinions at the bar.
A Senior Advocate in Abuja who asked not to be named called it “long overdue.”
“We are Barristers and Solicitors of the Supreme Court. The title is not a prefix. In the UK, US, Canada, you don’t see ‘Barrister John Doe’ on court papers. It’s just John Doe, Esq. This brings us in line with global best practice,” he said.
Another lawyer, a young litigator who has ‘Barr.’ embossed on her letterhead, was not pleased.
“This feels like erasing our identity. ‘Barrister’ is how the public knows us. Clients look for ‘Barrister’. To just drop it overnight without sensitization is harsh,” she said.
A Court Registrar at the Supreme Court told Daily Times the memo has already been circulated internally.
“From now, filings with ‘Barr.’ will be queried. We are to return them for correction, the CJN wants uniformity,” he said.
Why Now?
Nigerian lawyers are called to the Nigerian Bar as “Barristers and Solicitors.” Over the years, “Barr.” became the default prefix on signage, receipts, and court processes.
The Chief Registrar signed the memo as “Kabir E. Akanbi, Esq.” — the form the court now wants adopted.
Legal analysts say the move is part of a broader push to clean up court documentation and align with international standards.
The memo ended with: “Please be guided accordingly.”
For many in the legal profession, the message is clear: the ‘Barr.’ era at the Supreme Court is over.
…Dailytimes