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The attention Of the General Legal Council has been drawn to the erroneous reportage on some media platforms of His Lordship the Chief Justice's speech given at the enrolment ceremony of 196 Lawyers called to the Bar on Friday, 5th May 2023.

In his speech, (the relevant portion, which is quoted below), the Chief Justice on behalf of the General Legal Council, informed the new Lawyers of an initiative of the General Legal Council, which was impending.

The General Legal Council is constituted as follows:

• The Chief Justice who is the Chairman

• A Deputy Chairman who is the most Senior Supreme Court Judge after the Chief Justice

• The two most senior Supreme Court Judges

• The Attorney-General

• The Head of the Faculty of Law at the University of Ghana

• Three persons nominated by the Minister who are all members of the Bar 

• Four members of the Bar who are nominated by the Ghana Bar Association.

The portion of the speech referred to above reads:

"Lawyers in the country will soon be mandated to complete a minimum of a 12-hour professional development programme in a year before the renewal of their licence, This is to help broaden their knowledge and contribute to their growth in the profession. In line with that, plans were far advanced to make the programme, which was enshrined in the Lega/ Profession (Professional Conduct and Etiquette) Rules, 2020 (Legislative Instrument 2423) a prerequisite for the issuance ofa practising licence to all lawyers under the Legal Profession Bill which would soon be made a law"

There was no mention of Lawyers being required to write examinations at all before a renewal of Licence and indeed no such amendment to the Law is about to be made.

The requirement for Lawyers to complete Continuing Professional Development before the renewal of a practicing licence, is a standard requirement in some jurisdictions around the world. This practice is aimed at sharpening the skills of Lawyers and keeping them abreast with recent developments in the Law for the benefit of the clients they serve.

The General Public and Lawyers are hereby informed of the misrepresented reportage and the correction thereof accordingly.

SGD

GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL