Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has given the assurance that the recently passed Legal Education Reform Bill will not compromise standards in legal education.
“Only yesterday (March 26, 2026), the Legal Education Reform Bill, 2026 was passed by Parliament and will, in due course, become law after it receives presidential assent,” he said.
“It introduces a new framework that seeks to expand access without compromising standards.”
The Chief Justice made the remarks at the maiden March Call to the Bar ceremony, where 155 new lawyers were enrolled at the Cedi Conference Centre, University of Ghana, Legon.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie explained that under the new system, accredited universities would be permitted to offer both academic and professional legal training.
Additionally, he said a National Bar Examination would serve as a uniform standard for professional qualification.
“Institutional bottlenecks will be reduced, and the longstanding backlog of students awaiting professional training will be addressed,” he stated.
The integrity of the qualification process would be strengthened through transparent and standardised assessments, the Chief Justice stated.
“The principle is simple: opportunity must be widened, but standards must be firmly upheld,” he said.
Touching on broader judicial reforms, he said the courts had extended sitting hours under a two-stream system to improve access and reduce delays.
Chief Justice Baffoe-Bonnie noted that the Rules of Court were being comprehensively revised to enhance clarity, efficiency, and predictability.
“Deliberate steps are being taken to strengthen both infrastructure and judicial security, recognising that justice must be administered in conditions that are safe, functional, and dignified,” he said.
“These reforms are not distant ambitions but are already underway.”
“However, they will succeed only if those who practise within the system – lawyers such as yourselves- approach them with seriousness, discipline, and a sense of responsibility.”
The Chief Justice told the new lawyers that they were entering the profession at a time of significant transition in legal education.
He noted that Ghana had long struggled to balance expanding access to legal education with maintaining professional standards.
“The result has often been tension between numbers and quality, between opportunity and credibility. We are now resolving that tension,” he said.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie urged the new lawyers to guard their integrity jealously.
“Never fool yourself into thinking integrity only matters in big things. In law, integrity is cumulative – it is built or broken daily, and once lost, it is very difficult to restore,” he cautioned.
He stressed that the law had no tolerance for carelessness, adding that: “It will not excuse you because you are young, because your intentions were good, or because you were simply overwhelmed.”
The Chief Justice advised the lawyers to treat trust with utmost seriousness, remain honest with their clients, and resist the temptation to cut corners or bend the rules.
He also urged them to respect the courts and the legal system they now served.
“You are now officers of the court. That is not merely a ceremonial title – it is a profound responsibility,” he said.
