The Supreme Court of Nigeria strongly criticized a lawyer for copying another lawyer’s brief of arguments word for word in the case of Dangote Cement Plc vs Peter Ager (2024) 10 NWLR Pt. 1945 page 1.

Hon. Mr. Justice M. Lawal Garba, delivering the judgment, expressed his displeasure with the practice of counsel copying briefs of argument and arguments filed by another counsel for a different party to an appeal in the Supreme Court or any appellate court.

He described the practice as “not only appalling but also shows clear admission of professional incompetence and breach of professional duty to the client/party who retained the services of such counsel.”

The judge noted that the desire by counsel to obtain judgments from the Supreme Court for the sole purpose of meeting the requirements for the conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria has driven many lawyers to bring all manners of appeals, even in the most inappropriate situations or cases, or merely copy briefs of arguments for different parties by just changing the name of the counsel who wrote and settled the original briefs.

Justice Garba strongly condemned this practice, stating that it “cannot be deprecated enough and should be made to attract some serious professional penalties, apart from or in addition to the imposition of appropriate costs to be personally paid by such indulgent counsel.”
The Supreme Court’s admonition serves as a stern warning to lawyers who engage in such unethical practices, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and integrity in legal practice.