PALU President Calls On National Bar Associations To Regulate The Legal Profession Or Lose Control. | Nairalaw

The President of the Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU) has called
upon the National Bar Associations and Law Societies to effectively
regulate the legal profession or lose control to agencies of
government.

Chief Emeka Obegolu made this call in his comment during the
International Lawyers Forum of the German Federal Bar.

He stated that nations and the general public are at a crossroad
between national security concerns and lawyer/client
confidentiality leading to different legislations in some
jurisdictions that are designed to subvert one of the pillars of
the administration of justice and rule of law.

Speaking to the theme of the conference which is
“Confidentiality – A Lawyers issue”, the PALU President called upon
the National Bar Associations to design a robust regulatory
mechanism that addresses the concerns of the general public and
other stakeholders while balancing the need for confidentiality
with National security concerns.

He stated that it is only where the Bar fails to effectively
regulate that the security agencies find justification in proposing
legislation that subverts the duty of Lawyers.

The President of the International Bar Association, Horacio
Bernadres-Neto, in his own intervention, observed that the
privilege belongs to the client and not counsel and the legal
profession must continue to ensure the protection of the privilege
while balancing it with the National and International security
concerns.

The President of the Law Society of England and Wales, Christina
Blacklaws advised that Lawyers must not hide under attorney
privilege to compound crimes or withhold information on the
likelihood of commission of crime.

She urged the legal profession to continue to interrogate the
issues surrounding clients privilege and where the privilege ends
versus where the National security starts.

The conference was attended by Bar leaders from over 35
countries and regional Bars.