The Nigerian Law School has issued a fresh warning to its candidates. The institution said no graduate should wear a barrister’s wig and gown or present themselves as a lawyer before the official Call to Bar ceremony.
ABUJA, NIGERIA — The Nigerian Law School has cautioned candidates awaiting their Call to Bar ceremony against wearing barristers’ regalia or holding themselves out as qualified lawyers before they are formally admitted to the Nigerian Bar. According to a notice issued by the institution, only candidates who have successfully completed the Call to Bar process can wear the official wig and gown or practise as legal practitioners.
According to the notice, the school advised candidates to avoid taking photographs or appearing in public while dressed in barristers’ regalia before the official ceremony. It also warned against using titles or making representations that suggest they have already become qualified legal practitioners before completing the required process.
The institution stated that the Call to Bar ceremony remains the only official event where successful candidates receive formal admission to the Nigerian Bar. According to the school, compliance with professional rules and ethical standards begins even before admission, adding that candidates should conduct themselves in a manner that reflects the values of the legal profession.
The warning comes as preparations continue for the next Call to Bar ceremony, a significant milestone for law graduates who have completed the academic and vocational requirements set by the Council of Legal Education. The ceremony marks the official admission of successful candidates into the legal profession, after which they become eligible to practise law in Nigeria, subject to other legal and professional requirements.
The development means candidates must wait until they receive formal admission during the Call to Bar ceremony before wearing the traditional wig and gown or presenting themselves as lawyers. The reminder reinforces the importance of maintaining professional discipline and respecting the procedures that govern admission into Nigeria’s legal profession.
