Accra: Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has assured that the recently passed Legal Education Reform Bill will maintain 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 stated. "It introduces a new framework that seeks to expand access without compromising standards."
According to Ghana News Agency, the Chief Justice made these 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 have the opportunity to offer both academic and professional legal training. Furthermore, a National Bar Examination would serve as a uniform standard for professional qualification.
He emphasized that institutional bottlenecks would be reduced, addressing the longstanding backlog of students awaiting professional training. The integrity of the qualification process would be strengthened through transparent and standardized assessments, maintaining that opportunity must be widened while standards are upheld.
Touching on broader judicial reforms, the Chief Justice mentioned that courts had extended sitting hours under a two-stream system to improve access and reduce delays. He also 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, ensuring justice is administered in safe, functional, and dignified conditions.
The Chief Justice conveyed to the new lawyers that they were entering the profession at a time of significant transition in legal education, resolving long-standing tensions between expanding access and maintaining professional standards. He urged them to guard their integrity and emphasized that integrity in law is cumulative and once lost, it is difficult to restore.
He advised the lawyers to take trust seriously, remain honest with clients, and resist the temptation to cut corners or bend the rules. He also urged them to respect the courts and the legal system, reinforcing that being officers of the court is not merely ceremonial but a profound responsibility.