Duties of an In-house Counsel

Introduction

The Legal Profession has come a long way. It is a profession that cannot exist without references to its rich history. The past, is as important as its present, because events that shapes its history are still serving not just as a guide to current legal happenings but may possibly inuence its future. From the humble beginning of the orators of ancient Athens, the legal profession has grown to what it currently is. It is one of the oldest profession, highly regulated and based on discipline of its members who must reect ethical values.

Within the geographical expression called Nigeria today, before the advent of our colonial masters, there existed legal systems that were peculiar to the indigenous people of the heterogeneous communities. With Colonialism and its aftermath, the British English legal system was introduced first to the Colony of Lagos in 1863 through the promulgation of the Supreme Court Ordinance. The Chief Justice was empowered to admit and enrol Barristers and Solicitors to practice in Nigeria with specific provisions on those called to the English, Scotland and Northern Ireland Bar. The events that followed after the cessation of Lagos were prelude to the introduction of the British Legal System in Nigeria. Lagos became a British Colony and all laws applicable in England became applicable to Lagos. The following years saw the evolution of the Legal profession, with its teething problems. The initial problems ranged from lack of formal university education in law, lack of adequate knowledge of Nigerian Customary Law and legal system, inexperience and lack of proper regulation of the profession, amongst others