The chief judge of Kwara state, Justice Sulaiman Kawu, yesterday lamented negative public perception of the legal profession in the country.

He said that the legal profession used to be envy of other professions until very recently. Kawu spoke at the opening of the 2016 biennial law week of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ilorin branch.

"The current very negative perception of the legal profession by Nigerians today is not without foundation. Today we hear stories of members of both the Bar and the Bench engaging in unscrupulous activities which undermine the integrity of the noble profession and thus responsible for the negative perception of the profession by the public", he said.

Kawu who was represented at the occasion by Mathew Adebara posited that both the Bar and the Bench must work together to ensure strict compliance by their members to the rules of professional ethics and code of conduct for judicial officers to regain public confidence in the legal profession.

Earlier,the chairman, NBA, Ilorin branch, Barr. Manzuma Issa, had said that there is need for reform in legal system and profession before the profession can play any role in national transformation. Issa, who condemned growing cases of diversion of clients money through land transactions, described the development as worrisome, saying that it must be checked.