The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic A. Ayine, has said that although the current legal education system has served the country faithfully and produced outstanding professionals, structural bottlenecks and limited capacity have restricted access to many law graduates.
He, therefore, said that the Legal Education Reform Bill currently before Parliament would represent a shift from a restrictive system to an enabling and future-oriented one, guided by principles such as expanded access with maintained standards, transparent admissions, stronger supervision and national examinations.
“Access and excellence are no longer competing values; they are complementary goals,” the A-G said, adding that the reforms would diversify career pathways for lawyers beyond the courtroom.
He was speaking at the induction of more than 1,600 students to undertake the professional law course in the Ghana School of Law, Accra Campus, for the 2025/2026 academic year.
The ceremony, which took place at the UPSA auditorium in Accra yesterday, was on the theme: “Charting new directions in legal education: Diverse career opportunities emerging from reforms”.
The event was attended by some members of the Bench, Bar and academia.
Dynamism
Dr Ayine also said that legal education must respond to the country’s changing economic, technological and governance landscape.
He said legal education was not merely about producing lawyers but about “shaping custodians of justice, architects of governance, defenders of constitutionalism and innovators in a rapidly changing world”.
The A-G mentioned areas such as legislative drafting, public policy, energy and natural resources, maritime, technology and data protection laws, international trade, alternative dispute resolution and compliance as emerging fields for 21st century lawyers.
Dr Ayine also mentioned technology such as digital courts, e-filing systems, electronic evidence and cryptocurrency regulation as realities modern lawyers must accept for the timely delivery of justice.
He urged the students to master the fundamentals of the law, remain intellectually curious and also guard their integrity, saying a lawyer’s reputation would outlive certificates and titles.
The Chief Justice, Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, shared personal experiences from his student days to illustrate the importance of perseverance, discipline and focus.
He recounted how early distractions and challenges nearly affected his academic progress, but said extra efforts and renewed commitment helped him succeed, eventually rising through the legal ranks.
He said background or initial setbacks did not define one’s future in the legal profession, but hard work and determination did.
Training
The Vice-President of the Ghana Bar Association, Victoria Nana Ama Barth, described the induction as a defining moment in students’ journey.
Speaking in her dual role as a faculty member and Bar leader, she said the Ghana School of Law had, over the past six decades, been the gateway to the legal profession, producing generations of lawyers who were defending rights and strengthening the rule of law.
Ms Barth said that while the country’s legal education landscape had expanded with many universities now offering law degrees, it had brought pressure on the professional training system, sparking national conversations on reforms.
She reminded the students that advocacy went beyond speaking in court; it includes critical thinking, logical reasoning, careful listening and persuasive but civil argument.
Ms Barth further said that the legal profession was one of service, not entitlement, adding that integrity must guide ambition while service anchors success.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh