LPPC invites applications for 2027 SAN rank, sets fees and deadline

The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) has called for applications for the 2027 Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) rank.

The committee announced this in a statement shared on the Supreme Court’s X handle on Wednesday.

The application portal will open at midnight on 1 November, according to the notice.

The application fees are set at N5 million for lawyers in private practice and N2.5 million for those in government service.

The deadline for applications is 31 January 2027.

The selection process is thorough and takes months. Successful candidates are usually announced in July.

The SAN rank is awarded annually during a ceremony that marks the beginning of the new legal year at the Nigerian Supreme Court, which happens between September and October.

According to the LPPC’s notice for fresh applications, applicants must pay a non-refundable fee into designated accounts with Zenith Bank (1014103141) or Guaranty Trust Bank (0213662834).

The notice states that applicants must upload proof of payment to the portal. They should wait for a confirmation email from the LPPC Secretariat before completing their applications.

The committee instructed all applicants, including advocates and academics, to upload clear copies of the required and supporting documents listed in its 2022 guidelines. Each applicant must also submit five flash drives containing the completed application form downloaded from the portal and copies of all documents uploaded online.

Academic applicants must upload scanned copies of their published works. They also need to submit seven photocopies each of their curriculum vitae and impact statements. These documents must be sent along with the flash drives.

The deadline for online applications is midnight on 31 January 2027. The flash drives must reach the LPPC Secretariat by 4 p.m. on 1 February.

The committee warned that any submission made after these deadlines will be treated as a non-submission.

This exercise is conducted under Section 5(2) of the Legal Practitioners Act and Paragraphs 10(1) to 10(4) of the committee’s 2022 guidelines for the SAN rank.

The announcement was signed by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and secretary of the LPPC, Kabir Akanbi.

This announcement comes weeks after Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Kudirat Kekere-Ekun swore in 68 new SANs at the Supreme Court in Abuja on 12 October. This happened during a special session marking the start of the 2026/2027 legal year.

The new SANs included 67 advocates and one academic, Nnamdi Obiaraeri, who is a professor.

The LPPC, which is chaired by the CJN and operates under the Supreme Court’s structure, approved their elevation at its 174th plenary session in Abuja in July.

The SAN rank is a prestigious title given to qualified lawyers. To receive it, lawyers must have been called to the Nigerian bar for at least 10 years and shown significant contributions to Nigerian law.

This rank is similar to the King’s Counsel (KC) or Queen’s Counsel (QC) rank in the UK. The SAN title is highly sought after and comes with privileges, such as the right of first audience and the honor of wearing silk gowns.

It recognizes excellence in the legal field under two categories: advocacy and academics. Each category has general and specific criteria that applicants must meet.

The criteria are detailed in the LPPC’s 2022 Guidelines for the Conferment of the Rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Other Related Matters.

For general requirements, applicants must have at least 10 years of post-call standing at the Nigerian Bar. They must also show good moral character, proper conduct, and no pending disciplinary issues.

Financial compliance is essential as well. This means timely payment of Bar Practicing Fees and local NBA dues, along with valid tax clearance certificates for the last three years.

Candidates need to have a well-equipped, modern law office. This includes a standard legal library, digital tools, full-time junior counsel, and support staff. They also need to provide proof of pro bono service.

For the advocacy track, applicants must meet a required quota of certified, contested final judgments as lead counsel in superior courts, such as trial High Courts, the Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court.

Applicants are also subject to confidential judicial references and inspections of their chambers.

For the academic track, applicants must have made considerable contributions to legal scholarship through teaching, research, published works, and academic leadership.

These applicants should also have a strong portfolio of peer-reviewed books, scholarly journal articles, and teaching credentials.

Section 9 of the guidelines limits the number of appointments as SAN in the academic category each year to no more than one.