*RPC Allows Advertisement

When a law firm opened a new branch in Owerri and the news was reported in a newspaper, social media went crazy.

Prince Joel & Associates (Onwenieke Chambers), a law firm founded in Lagos, has built a new office in Owerri as part of its plan to expand across Nigeria and since the majority of their clientele were relocating to the eastern part of the country.

In his welcome presentation, the law firm’s Acting Head of Chambers indicated that the firm is available for business immediately and that the firm’s focus will be on commercial law, real estate, and infrastructure, among other things.

Even though it is general knowledge that advertising is prohibited in the legal profession, there are several exceptions.

The law firm’s actions are considered to be in accordance with the Rules of Professional Conduct for Lawyers, which enable lawyers to engage in advertising in certain circumstances, specifically rules 43 and 44 thereof, which state that:

RULE 43 RPC 2007: “On a change of address, telephone number or other circumstances relating to his practice, a lawyer may send to his clients notice of the change and may insert an advertisement of such change in a newspaper or journal”.

RULE 44 RPC 2007: “Where a lawyer is available to act as an associate of other lawyers either generally or in a particular branch of the law or legal service, he may send to lawyers in his locality only and publish in his local journal, if any, a brief and dignified announcement of his availability to serve other lawyers in that connection as long as the announcement is not designed to attract improperly”.

Going by the above provisions, it’s crystal clear that a law firm is allowed to advertise the new change of address, telephone or other circumstances relating to his practice via newspaper in order to his clients notice.