The Body of Benchers has approved the appointment of former Lagos State Governor and Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN, CON) as Bencher of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Fashola is a graduate of the University of Benin and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988. He began his career in general litigation at Sofunde, Osakwe, Ogundipe and Belgore before spending 14 years in private practice.
He also has a successful public service career spanning over two decades, during which he served as Chief of Staff and Commissioner in Lagos State, a two-term Lagos State Governor, and a two-term Federal Minister from 2015 to 2023.
In 2004, he became the first member of his law school class and the second University of Benin graduate to be conferred with the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
Fashola’s distinguished service has earned him international acclaim, including the 2015 Stephen J. Solarz Award for his role in social improvement and Ebola containment, as well as recognition from TIME, The Economist, and Lo Spazio della Politica as a top global thinker.
The Body of Benchers is the highest regulatory body for the legal profession, responsible for the formal call to the Bar of successful law school graduates, disciplining erring lawyers through the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), and maintaining the profession’s high standards and ethics.