The Ghana Law Society (GLS) has called for major reforms in the legal profession, including structured national service for newly qualified lawyers, mandatory pro bono work, and decentralization of legal services and greater use of digital technology to improve access to justice.
Speaking at the maiden annual conference and Launch of the Society, its President, Rockson Etse Deafeamekpor, said legal reform must focus not only on changing laws but also on addressing the everyday experiences of citizens who interact with the justice system.
“Law reform must be experiential,” he said, stressing that the legal profession must respond to the needs of market women, farmers, miners, landowners, tenants, accused persons and other citizens.
Mr Deafeamekpor said reform must also begin within the legal profession itself, particularly in the areas of legal education, professional development and access to legal services.
“Reform must begin at the Bar,” he said, arguing that lawyers could not demand reforms from other public institutions while failing to examine weaknesses within their own profession.
One of the Society’s major proposals is to transform the existing pupillage system into a structured national service programme for newly qualified lawyers.
Under the proposal, young lawyers could be posted to district assemblies, Legal Aid offices and district magistrate courts to provide legal assistance, conduct research and support communities where legal services are limited.
Mr Deafeamekpor said the initiative would give young lawyers practical experience while helping to address the uneven distribution of lawyers across the country.
The Society is also proposing that every practising lawyer provide at least 10 hours of pro bono legal services each year to people who cannot afford legal representation.
He said early access to legal advice could help resolve disputes involving land, tenancy and contracts before they developed into lengthy and costly litigation.
The Society further plans to expand digital services through its Digital Chambers platform, promote specialisation in emerging areas of law and establish a national database of laws linked to Judicial Service information systems.
It also intends to strengthen professional welfare arrangements, legal scholarship and continuing professional development, while promoting ethical standards within the profession.
Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, urged lawyers to protect the independence of the legal profession and take an active role in legal reforms.
He described the Bar as “a guardian of the Constitution of our Republic, a friend of the court, and the conscience of our Republic.”
Dr. Ayine cautioned legal associations against becoming aligned with political parties, saying their authority depended on their independence from both the State and partisan interests.
“What our profession needs is not a Bar that sleeps with the political weather, but a professional body whose voice remains consistent, whichever party is in government,” he said.
He also urged lawyers to participate actively in constitutional review, legislative drafting, State contract reforms, public financial management and access to justice.
“The place of the Ghanaian lawyer in this season of reform is to be independent enough to be believed and engaged enough to matter,” Dr. Ayine said.
Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah in his remark noted that the effectiveness of legal reforms should ultimately be measured by their impact on ordinary citizens.
He said delays, high costs and limited access to justice could undermine public confidence in the legal system and called for continued attention to legal aid, alternative dispute resolution, case management, land administration and commercial dispute resolution.
Mr Debrah also encouraged the Society to move from discussions to implementation by identifying priority reforms, establishing expert working groups and developing clear timelines.
The conference brought together members of the legal profession and other stakeholders under the theme “Law Reform and the Role of the Ghanaian Lawyer.”
The discussions centered on strengthening the profession and ensuring that legal reforms translate into improved access to justice for citizens across Ghana.
