Akinlade faults irregular dressing to court by law students externs

The Convener of the Duty Solicitors Network (DSN), Mr Bayo Akinlade, has urged legal practitioners to collaborate in educating law school externs on the proper dress code for court.

Akinlade spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday regarding dress codes observed by some law school externs on court attachment.

NAN reports that students of Nigerian Law School have commenced their externship or court attachment, which is expected to run through several weeks.

These externships are compulsory for every law student before the bar final examinations.

According to him, some of these externs appear confused and have visibly drifted away from the acceptable mode of dressing provided by legal profession ethics.

Consequently, he called on legal practitioners to make it a duty to guide these externs on the proper dress code to court.

“When some lawyers dress inappropriately to court, I do my best to let them know as it reflects on their level of appreciation for ethics in this noble profession.

“For externs; it is sad to see some male externs wearing waistcoats without jackets or just plain whites with a black tie without jackets.

“The same goes for the female externs who wear a white blouse without a jacket.

“My concerns have been escalated several times to the law school which has consistently reiterated that the externs are required to wear a black jacket during their externship.

“It is unfortunate to still see some externs not properly dressed to court despite instructions from the law school,” he said.

He, therefore, urged senior lawyers, to join hands in leading the young law students on the right path, to preserve the ethics of legal practice.

“I would like to implore lawyers in practice to please correct improper dressings by externs and even colleagues and to ensure that even during chamber attachments, these externs wear the proper combination of attires.

“Until we are permitted or agree to wear our traditional cultural attire to court, the suit remains the standard,” he said