Chief Justice Says Legal Profession Should Not Be Viewed As A Get-Rich-Quick Profession
- Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkonoo said the Ghanaian legal profession is not an avenue for wealth creation
- According to her, the prioritisation of wealth creation over the noble tenets of the profession has led to several unethical conducts
- She said to address the issue, the Ghana General Legal Council is collaborating with the Council of Law Deans to promote legal ethics
Ghana’s Chief Justice, Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkonoo, has warned Ghanaian legal practitioners to avoid unethical practices.
She said the prioritisation of wealth creation over ethical conduct in the legal profession has become a worrying trend and must be curtailed.
Source: UGC
She spoke at the Annual General Conference of the Ghana Bar Association, which was held in Kumasi on September 9, 2024.
The Chief Justice expressed disappointment in the growing trend and warned that the legal profession must not be seen as a quick path to wealth.
She insisted that the legal profession was noble, demanding integrity and commitment.
She said that to maintain the noble nature of the profession, many lawyers have been referred to the General Legal Council’s Disciplinary Committee for unethical behaviour towards their clients.
GLC collaborating with Deans
The Chief Justice said the General Legal Council is collaborating with the Council of Law Deans to integrate legal ethics into the faculty curriculum to prevent the problem from spreading.
Meanwhile, Justice Torkonoo has urged lawyers to recognise their role as officers and guardians of the law and to avoid viewing the profession as a cash cow to be exploited for financial gains.
“I implore lawyers to appreciate their secret role and reduce the treatment of the law only as an avenue for wealth creation,” she said.
Akufo-Addo honoured at GBA conference
President Akufo-Addo has been conferred with the Ghana Bar Association’s inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award.
The conferment happened at the Annual Ghana Bar Association Conference in Kumasi on Monday, September 9, 2024.
President Akufo-Addo is the first to receive the high honour from the Ghana Bar Association.
Speaking at the ceremony, the President of the Ghana Bar Association, Yaw Acheampong Boafo, extolled the president for his contribution and service to the Association.
CJ justifies need for more justices
YEN.com.gh reported that Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo has justified her request that President Akufo-Addo nominate five additional justices to Ghana’s Supreme Court.
According to the Chief Justice, the Supreme Court needs more judges to handle the overwhelming number of cases currently before it.
She said this while delivering the closing remarks after hearing the lawsuits filed by Researcher Amanda Odoi and Broadcast Journalist Richard Dela Sky concerning the controversial Anti-LGBTQ+ bill passed by parliament.
She said the delay in the case and several others is largely due to the small number of Supreme Court judges.
Proofread by Berlinda Entsie, journalist and copy editor at YEN.com.gh
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Source: YEN.com.gh
