Last year I wrote about a proposed new survey of the top 100 lawyers in Nigeria.
News of the planned list – the first to be published in Nigeria by a native company – caused a furore locally.
Some said it was unethical, while other disgruntled younger lawyers said it was a conspiracy to stop them from competing with older, established names.
There were even threats to sue the publishers to prevent the release of the list.
Despite what appeared to be insurmountable challenges, City Lawyer Publishers bravely went ahead and released the results.
Editor Emeka Nwadioke, a former banker and lawyer, got in touch to say the list was now online, and print copies are on the way.
According to the survey’s methodology, peer review was the main way in which the names were determined.
Senior advocates in Nigeria were asked the question:
“If you could not handle a case/brief yourself, to whom would you, with utmost confidence, refer it?”
And the lawyers with the highest number of nominations selected to the list.
Interestingly, the publishers stress that the “the compendium is not a moral judgement on a lawyer’s ethical standards.”
The Top 100 listing was also widely published in several Nigerian newspapers including The Guardian, The Nation and Daily Independent.
Pictured: Zuma Rock, Nigeria
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