Drop the title: what the CJN's directive means for legal etiquette in Nigeria

In Nigerian professional circles, few honorifics carry as much immediate social prestige as prefixing one's name with "Barrister." From business cards and event invitations to formal introductions, the title has long served as a visible badge of accomplishment. However, a recent directive from the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) has instructed members of the legal profession to immediately cease using the term as a personal title.

While the directive may surprise the general public, it addresses a long-standing tension between popular professional vanity and formal legal tradition. The key takeaway: in legal tradition, "Barrister" describes a qualification rather than a title. Lawyers are correctly addressed as "Mr.," "Mrs.," or "Ms.," followed by "Esq." after their name.

The practice of adopting "Barrister" as a prefix is widespread in West Africa, yet it finds no support in traditional common law syntax. "Barrister and Solicitor" is a professional designation reflecting admission to the Bar, not a salutation meant to replace standard honorifics. And unlike England, where the legal profession is split into distinct barristers and solicitors, Nigeria operates a fused legal system where practitioners are enrolled as both — proper legal convention dictates using the suffix "Esq." (Esquire) after a practitioner's full name rather than placing a title before it. By clarifying this distinction, the judiciary aims to eliminate honorific inflation and preserve professional decorum across all levels of practice.

Proper forms of address. The accepted forms are straightforward: John Doe, Esq. or Jane Doe, Esq. — never "Barrister John Doe." Formal correspondence opens "Dear Mr. Doe" or "Dear Ms. Doe," with "Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria" appearing in the formal signature block. Practitioners elevated to the Inner Bar are addressed using their official rank, such as "Senior Advocate of Nigeria" (SAN), as a post-nominal title.

While the directive might seem like a minor matter of semantics, professional naming conventions carry real symbolic weight. Restoring correct forms of address reinforces discipline and reminds counsel that respect in the legal profession is earned through courtroom advocacy, integrity, and sound legal scholarship rather than superficial titles. Bar associations and law faculties are expected to enforce compliance during formal ceremonies and call-to-bar events; media organizations and public institutions are advised to adjust their style guides to reflect proper legal nomenclature; and re-centring professional identity on legal competence rather than social titles elevates the overall quality of practice.

The Chief Justice's directive is a timely recalibration of legal professional identity. Eliminating improper prefixes restores dignity to legal correspondence and aligns Nigerian practice with global standards of court etiquette.