Rule 5 Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners

Rule 5 of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners (RPC) 2023 is about Association for legal practice. It is under Part 1 (Practice as a Legal Practitioner) of Chapter 1 (Conduct) of the Rules. It provides as follows:

(1) A lawyer shall not form a partnership with a non-lawyer or with a lawyer who is not admitted to practice law in Nigeria, if any of the activities of the partnership consists of the practice of law.

(2) The name of a deceased or former partner may continue to be used as part of the name of alaw firm provided it does not lead to any imposition or deception through the continued use of the name.

(3) Where a member of a law firm becomes a Judge his name, if it appears, shall be removed from the partnership name.

(4) Where a lawyer practices alone, he shall not hold himself out as a partner in a firm of lawyers by using a firm name such as “A, B and Co” or such other name as may suggest that he is in partnership with others.

(5) It shall be unlawful to carry out legal practice as a corporation.