LPDC: Addressing Lawyer Misconduct in Nigeria

Your comprehensive  guide to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC): 

Introduction

Nigeria’s legal system faces a significant challenge: unethical conduct among some lawyers. Every year, the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) handles hundreds, sometimes thousands, as is the case in recent years, of complaints against legal practitioners.

Understanding the various forms of professional misconduct, the avenues for redress, and your pivotal role in upholding legal ethics in Nigeria is essential for strengthening accountability and public trust in the profession.

Types of Lawyer Misconduct and How to File a Complaint:

Lawyers may violate various ethical standards in several ways, including:

• Conflicts of interest
• Mismanaging of client funds
• Neglect of legal duties
• Courtroom impropriety

Recent cases involving misappropriated funds and incendiary social media behaviour, underscore the severity of these violations and the erosion of public trust the cause.

When you encounter unprofessional conduct, it is crucial to recognize available avenues for redress.  The LPDC serves as the primary body for seeking justice against lawyer misconduct in Nigeria.

Steps to take include:

1. Document the misconduct thoroughly (emails, receipts, videos, photographs and witness statements)
2. Familiarise yourself with the Rules of Professional Conduct and LPDC procedures
3. Lodge a formal complaint with the LPDC, presenting all evidence to hold erring legal practitioners accountable.

The LPDC’S Role and Penalties:

Established under the Legal Practitioners Act, the LPDC assumes a pivotal role in upholding ethical standards and discipline within the legal profession in Nigeria.

 The Committee is empowered to consider and determine any case in which it is alleged that a person whose name appears on the Role of Legal Practitioners has misbehaved in their professional capacity or has otherwise become liable to disciplinary proceedings under the Legal Practitioners Act.  Through review of petitions and affidavits, hearings, and adjudications, the Committee ensures strict adherence to professional guidelines among lawyers in Nigeria.

Upon receiving a complaint, the LPDC conducts a preliminary review to determine whether a prima facie case has been established. Where such a case exists, the accused lawyer is required to file a formal defense within a stipulated timeframe. A hearing date is then fixed, during which the Committee deliberates on the evidence and reaches a verdict.

To ensure fairness and uphold the integrity of the legal profession, the LPDC administers a range of penalties proportionate to the gravity of each offence.

Possible Sanctions Include:

• Disbarment: The most severe penalty, reserved for egregious misconduct, permanently removing the lawyer’s name from the Roll and prohibiting them from legal practice in Nigeria.
• Suspension: A temporary ban from practice, which may range from several months to a number of years.
• Reprimand: A formal censure, issued to the lawyer as warning and deterrent.
• Monetary fines: Financial penalties that may also include restitution or compensation to the aggrieved party.
• Mandatory Ethics Training: In some cases, the LPDC may direct a lawyer to undergo additional professional or ethical education.

Recent Cases and the Duty of Collective Responsibility: Recent disciplinary actions underscore the LPDC’s firm commitment to upholding integrity within the Bar.

In October 2023, Olumide Tayo-Lawal was suspended from legal practice for a period of five years for professional misconduct amounting to infamous conduct in the performance of his duties. He was also ordered to refund the sum of N3,100,000.00 to the complainant, with a warning that failure to comply within three months will result in his name remaining off the register even after the suspension period.

 In May 2023, the LPDC suspended Edward Oseghale for two years for misappropriating the sum of N405,000.00 belonging to his client, Mr. Kingsley Eigbokhan.  The Committee further ordered full restitution to the client.

The disbarment of Emeka Ephraim Ugwuonye also serves as a landmark reminder that the Committee will not hesitate to impose the ultimate sanction where professional ethics are gravely violated.

Upholding the ethical fabric of the legal profession requires collective effort. It necessitates the active participation of individuals who witness or experience unprofessional conduct. Reporting instances of unprofessional conduct strengthens the system, empowers victims, fosters a culture of accountability, and deters future transgressions. Unfortunately, awareness of the LPDC’s role remains inadequate. Launching awareness campaigns to bridge this gap and foster  reporting is imperative.

Conclusion: Maintaining integrity in Nigeria’s legal landscape requires a concerted effort. While the LPDC stands as the guardian of ethical standards, its efficacy hinges on public awareness and active participation. Each reported case, each voice raised against professional misconduct, becomes a beacon of change, strengthening the legal system and preserving its sanctity.

How to File a Complaint Against a Lawyer in Nigeria:

Here is a step-by-step guide on filing a complaint against a lawyer in Nigeria:

1. Document Professional Misconduct: Record details like dates, specifics, witnesses and evidence (emails, receipts, videos, photos, witness statements).  Refer to the LPDC Rules 2020  for guidance.
2. Choose your Filing Route: Choose your filing route, and submit your complaint to any of the following:
   • the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA House, plot 1101 Muhammadu Buhari Way, Central Business District, Abuja, FCT, Nigeria or the Chairman of a branch of the Nigerian Bar Association. or
   • directly with the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) at Body of Benchers Secretariat, Plot 688, Institute & Research District, behind EFCC Headquarters, FCC Phase III, Abuja, FCT, Nigeria. or
   • the Chairman, Body or Benchers. or
   • the Chief Justice of Nigeria. or
   • the President of the Court of Appeal or any Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal. or
   • the Attorney-General of the Federation
3. Complete FORMS 1 RULE 4(3) andFORMS 2 RULE 4(4) : Download the forms here.  In your petition addressed to: The Chairman, Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, Plot 688, Institution and Research District, FCC Phase III, Abuja, FCT; please describe the alleged misconduct in detail.
4. Provide an Accompanying Affidavit of Facts: Sworn at the High Court, and attach all  supporting evidence.
5. Submit the Completed Documents: Do so preferably in person at the LPDC Offices, No. 688, Institute & Research District, Phase 111, Abuja, FCT. (Down the road from the EFCC Headquarters). The LPDC requires 10 copies.
6. Investigation: The LPDC will investigate your complaint.  They will contact you for additional information, if necessary.  If the LPDC finds grounds for your complaint ( a prima facie case), they will  forward your petition to the respondent (the lawyer) for their response.
7. Expect Further Contact: The Complainant/Petitioner will then have another opportunity  to respond to the Lawyer’s response.
8. Hearing: Parties shall be contacted when a hearing is scheduled, where both parties present their cases.
9. Decision: The LPDC will issue a decision and inform you of the outcome.

Additional Resources:

• Nigerian Bar Association website: https://www.nigerianbar.org.ng/
• Contact Senior lawyers at AWJAI offering guidance on filing complaints with the LPDC.
• Legal-Practitioners-Disciplinary-Committee- (LPDC) RULES-2020
• LPDC Application Forms: FORMS 1 RULE 4(3) and FORMS 2 RULE 4(4)
• Read Here Rules of Professional Conduct, 2023
• LPDC Abuja: 09072379288 (WhatsApp): 08054882463

Update [August 13, 2024]:

The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) has announced through a notice on August 13, 2024, that the following individuals have been found guilty of various professional misconducts and have been sanctioned as follows:

1. Abikoye Opeyemi Timothy (SCN034372): Ordered to be struck off the Roll of Legal Practitioners and to refund N2,359,000.00 to the Petitioner.
2. Jonathan Chinedu Nwagwu (SCN052392): Suspended from legal practice for three years, effective April 24, 2024, and ordered to refund N1,943,043.70 to the Petitioner
3. Edward Oseghale (SCN073464): Suspended from legal practice for two years effective May 8, 2023.
4. Cyprian Obiora Ifeanyi Agwuna (SCN005675): Suspended from legal practice for two years, effective February 20, 2024.

Update [May 13, 2024]:

The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) has suspended George Eugene Halliday, Esq., from legal practice for four years after finding him guilty of professional misconduct.

Update [June 23 , 2025]:

The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) has suspended Lawyer Marcel Udebuani over property fraud for 5 years.

Update [June 23 , 2025]:

The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) has suspended Abuja-based lawyer, Everest Chinedum Ugwuowo, from practicing law in Nigeria for five years, following his indictment in a =N=29 million property fraud case.

Update [December 2, 2025]:

The LPDC has suspended lawyer Chijioke Ugochukwu Onyeneke (SCN040566) for two years for filing a false and malicious petition to the police against lawyer Ayodele Kusamotu, which led to Kusamotu being wrongly charged, a charge later struck out by the court.

Onyeneke wrote the petition on June 12, 2018, while representing Chris Ejik International Agencies Ltd in a business dispute with Hexing Electrical Company Ltd. Kusamotu filed his LPDC Application in Feberuary 2021.

Onyeneke was ordered to publish a public apology, and his suspension will be noted on the Supreme Court roll.

In December 2024, police counsel Abubuike Sylvester, who handled Kusamotu’s wrongful charge, was suspended for three years for professional misconduct.

By AWJAI Team