Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame says that since taking office in 2021, the number of lawyers registered on the roll of lawyers in Ghana has more than doubled, with over 4,000 new lawyers enrolled during his tenure.
In his remarks, Dame pointed out that the newly sworn-in president of the Ghana Bar Association, Efua Ghartey, leads the Bar during a critical period when the quality of legal practice and adherence to ethical standards are of utmost importance.
Dame emphasized that while growth is a positive development, it inevitably raises concerns about sustaining high standards in legal practice.
He acknowledged that an influx of new members necessitates ongoing vigilance to ensure that ethical practices are upheld and that the integrity of the profession is maintained.
“We are already witnessing a decline in standards of practice to worrying depths. Ethics are jettisoned in the dishonourable quest of some lawyers to win a case or score cheap political points,” he stated.
“The Bar Association owes it a duty to drive home the point that the privilege to practice law comes with a moral and legal duty to uphold the dignity of the profession and ensure that the privileged Call to the Bar is not abused through unprincipled and disreputable conduct.”
“It is only when practitioners maintain the highest standards of ethics that the nobility of the legal profession will be preserved. There cannot be any compromise on this,” he added.
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