Nigeria, July 11 -- The Nigerian Law Society (NLS) and the Body of Senior Counsel of Nigeria (BOSCON) have insisted that they have the authority to confer the "Senior Counsel of Nigeria" (SCN), also known as the Blue Silk rank, maintaining that the initiative is independent of the Legal Practitioners' Privileges Committee (LPPC).

The two organisations stated this in a joint statement on Friday, The cable reported. The statement was signed by Chukwuka Ikwuazom, president of the NLS, and Muiz Banire, chairman of BOSCON.

This came about two months after the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed a suit seeking validation for the 'Blue Silk' rank for legal practitioners in Nigeria fashioned after the statutorily recognised SAN.

In the judge...