Supreme Court bans use of ‘barrister’ title in official correspondence

The Supreme Court has directed lawyers, court registrars and litigation staff to stop using the title “Barrister” as a prefix to their names in all official correspondence and engagements with the apex court.

The directive was contained in an internal memorandum dated July 13, 2026, issued by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Kabir E. Akanbi, on the instruction of the Chief Justice of Nigeria.

Titled “Prohibition of the Use of the Title ‘Barrister’ as a Prefix to Names,” the circular was addressed to legal practitioners, litigation staff, court registrars and other lawyers interacting with the Supreme Court.

According to the memo, the continued use of the title before names does not align with the professional standards expected within the apex court.

It stated that the Chief Justice had directed all affected persons to discontinue the practice with immediate effect.

The circular reads in part: “The use of the title ‘Barrister’ as a prefix to names is inappropriate and inconsistent with the standards of professionalism expected within the Supreme Court of Nigeria.”

The court further directed that the title should no longer appear in official correspondence, court records, legal documents, identity materials or any other official engagement with the Supreme Court.

It also tasked heads of departments and unit heads with ensuring full compliance among officers under their supervision.

The directive applies only to official interactions with the Supreme Court and does not prevent legal practitioners from describing themselves as barristers in academic, professional or other contexts outside the court’s official communications.