Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Port Harcourt Branch, Dr. Chinedu Samuel Maduba, has urged lawyers and other professionals to embrace emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, while remaining conscious of the ethical and institutional responsibilities attached to technological change.
Maduba spoke during the launch of a book titled AI, Justice & The Rule of Law, written in honour of retired Court of Appeal Presiding Justice, Dame Justice Sotonye Denton-West.
The event, held at the Chief Judge’s Ceremonial Hall of the Rivers State High Court Complex in Port Harcourt, brought together serving and retired judicial officers, Senior Advocates of Nigeria and members of the Bar and Bench.
AI and the future of legal practice
Maduba encouraged legal practitioners to engage seriously with artificial intelligence and digital technology rather than regard them as developments external to traditional legal practice.
The book around which the event was organised examines subjects including artificial intelligence and Africa’s future, digital sovereignty, African innovation and constitutional democracy in the age of AI.
Those themes have become increasingly relevant to lawyers as AI tools move into legal research, document drafting, case analysis and administrative work.
For the profession, however, technological adoption also raises significant questions about confidentiality, accuracy, professional negligence, copyright and the extent to which lawyers may rely upon machine-generated material without independent verification.
Although Maduba’s remarks focused broadly on embracing innovation and building professional legacy, the wider legal challenge is ensuring that efficiency does not displace professional judgment.
Tribute to Justice Denton-West
The NBA Chairman also paid tribute to Justice Denton-West, describing her career and contribution to the administration of justice as worthy of recognition.
He urged lawyers to think beyond titles and positions and instead build professional legacies based on the impact they make on institutions, colleagues and society.
In that respect, the event brought together two issues increasingly important to the profession: preserving the values inherited from distinguished jurists while adapting legal practice to technologies that are rapidly changing how legal services are delivered.
For Nigerian lawyers, AI is no longer merely a future issue.
The more immediate questions now concern how it should be used, what professional safeguards are required and where responsibility lies when AI-assisted legal work goes wrong.
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Source: The Tide
