New hurdles for aspiring SAN.

The big guys in the law profession who aspire to be appointed Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) have new set standards to fulfil. Are these new conditionality relevant to performance at the bar?
From GODWIN TSA, Abuja

The Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC) has released new guidelines for the conferment of the rank of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN). A copy of the new guidelines obtained by our reporter shows that applicants for the highest rank in the legal profession  will now cough out a whopping N300,000 as application fee as against N250,000 paid last year.

A committee, which was set up to review the guidelines had recommended N500,000 application fee and justified the recommendation on the high cost of conducting chambers inspection across the country.
But  the Chairman of the LPPC and Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloma Mukhtar rejected the recommendation arguing that it was too high.
The documents  have also empowered the committee  to suspend a legal practitioner from the use of the rank of SAN pending the determination of any disciplinary action, complaint or prosecution against such a legal practitioner.
This new guidlines also empower the committee to punish an alleged erring legal practitioner even when his guilt has yet to be established.
Other changes in the new guidelines include earlier opening of the application process. Call for applications will now be made not later than January 7, each year as against not later than January 31 under the former arrangement.
Applicants are also now required to provide certified true copies of complete record of trial proceedings in at least five cases he or she handled at the high court from filing stage to judgment to show that he or she conducted the trial throughout.
For those applying as academics, the new guidelines introduce fresh hurdles. They must now show that their works are published by reputable publishers ‘whose reputation shall be assessed and determined by the Academic sub-committee.’
The guidelines retain the criteria for evaluating candidates’ competence, which are: integrity 25 per cent, judges’ opinion 15 per cent, knowledge of law 15 per cent, contribution to the development of the law 10 per cent, leadership qualities 10 per cent, strength and quality of reference 15 per cent and quality of law office 10 per cent.