In every profession, there are titles that carry prestige, influence and public trust, and in the legal world few titles command as much respect as Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
That is why the latest development involving constitutional lawyer Mike Ozekhome has attracted attention far beyond the courtroom.
The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee has suspended his SAN rank pending the outcome of disciplinary proceedings currently before its ethics and disciplinary bodies.
The decision was reached during the committee’s 173rd General Meeting and was presented as a step aimed at protecting the integrity and dignity attached to one of the highest honours in Nigeria’s legal profession.
While the proceedings against him are yet to reach a final conclusion, the committee directed that he should not present himself as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria during the period of suspension.
It is a reminder that in law, reputation can take decades to build and only a moment of controversy to place under intense scrutiny.
