Chief Justice urges lawyers to exhibit high sense of integrity
The Chief Justice, Mrs Georgina Theodora Wood on Friday urged lawyers to exhibit high sense of integrity and good character, which are paramount to the legal profession.
She said a lawyer should not only be distinguished by the garb alone (wig and gown) but outstandingly by his language and etiquette.
“Lawyers’ manners both in speech and good conduct would stand him in good stead as a man of noble character,” she added.
Mrs Justice Wood made the call at the enrolment of new lawyers in Accra.
The 206 new lawyers made up of 109 women and 97 men had completed two years of intensive legal education and discipline and qualified to join the Ghanaian legal community.
Mrs Justice Wood asked them to refrain from disputes characterised by insults, which were not decorous behaviour expected of lawyers.
“Yours is to stay away from those who provoke others into this kind of behaviour,” she added.
Mrs Justice Wood reiterated the call by politicians and religious leaders about the culture of insults, which had characterised public and political discourse in the country.
She said even though the practice was alien to Ghanaian societal values and norms, unfortunately the behaviour had found its way into the legal profession.
Mrs Justice Wood noted that sometimes the kind of vituperations heaped on judges and the courts by the public and some members of the legal profession indicated the extent of the problem.
“I trust that you will not follow that path. Emulate lawyers whose constructive contribution to civil debate in a wholesome manner engender trust and promote public confidence in the judiciary, national peace and security,” she added.
Mrs Justice Wood said increasingly globalisation was becoming a day to day reality and lawyers who qualified abroad and want to practice in Ghana as well as those who qualified in Ghana wanted to use their qualification as a basis for qualification abroad.
She said the legal disciplinary authorities were now facing enquiries concerning the legal effect of Ghanaians who were enrolled in Ghana and get qualified elsewhere and then found themselves disbarred for some misdemeanour or misconduct.
Mrs Justice Wood urged the newly qualified lawyers to take the ethics of the profession serious and avoid the cost of having brushes with the disciplinary authorities in the countries they chose to practice.
She advised them to join the judiciary since the Service was entitled to a fair share of some of the best legal brains from the School of Law to join the bench.
“If you are certain in your mind that you have the call of God on your life to serve this great nation as an adjudicator, you are invited to do so without delay,” she added.
Those who excelled in their performance were honoured. Miss Linda Mensah was adjudged the overall best student in both Parts I and II of the Professional Law Examinations. She was awarded the Mensah Sarbah Memorial Prize.
Other award winners included Mr Peter Osei-Asamoah, best student in Civil Procedure, Mr Augustine Beleksuun Kidisil, best student in Advocacy and Legal Ethics as well as Law of Interpretation of Deeds and Statutes; Mr Moses Kwadwo Beick-Baffour, best student in Family Law and Practice and Miss Pauline Carbokuor Kikor Ayiku, best student in Conveyancing and Drafting.
The rest were Mr Solomon Twum Barima, best student in Legal Accountancy; Miss Adelaide Kobiri, best student in Industrial Law; Miss Florence Mensah, best student in Law of Evidence and Mrs Ruby Esi Akyere Kittah, best student in Company Law and Practice.
The others were Ms Candy Amoako-Arhin, best student in Criminal Procedure; Ms Mimi Afriyie, best student in Legislative Drafting; Mr Eric Yaw Ansah, best student in the Law and Practice of Banking; and Mr Bobby Bossman, best student in the Law of Taxation.
Source: GNA