By Ghana’s Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo, has issued a stern warning to legal practitioners to avoid unethical practices.
At the 2024/2025 Annual General Conference of the Ghana Bar Association, Justice Torkornoo expressed concern over the growing trend of lawyers prioritizing wealth accumulation over ethical standards.
She pointed out that numerous lawyers have been referred to the Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Council for unethical conduct towards their clients, emphasizing the urgent need for a shift in professional attitudes.
Justice Torkornoo stressed that the legal profession should not be viewed as a shortcut to wealth but as a noble field that requires integrity and dedication.
To tackle these issues, the Chief Justice announced that the General Legal Council is working with the Council of Law Deans to incorporate legal ethics into the academic curriculum.
Justice Torkornoo urged lawyers to see themselves as officers and custodians of the law, rather than viewing the legal profession merely as a means to financial gain.
“I must also, very unhappily refer to the consistently increasing numbers of lawyers that are referred to the Disciplinary Committee of the general legal council for unethical practises against their clients. The general legal council is actively working, engaging the council of law deans, concerning the mainstreaming of the study of legal ethics at the faculty level.”
“There seems to be an untoward notion that the law is the root of becoming rich early. However, as officers and guardians of law, I implore lawyers to appreciate their secret role and reduce the treatment of the law only as an avenue for wealth creation.”
