Avoid the use of intemperate and offensive language - Chief Justice tells lawyers

The Chief Justice, Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, has cautioned lawyers against the use of intemperate, offensive and abusive language in their professional dealings.

"The use of intemperate, offensive language in professional dealings must be fiercely resisted by all lawyers no matter the height of temptation,” he said.

The Chief Justice also asked lawyers to refrain from the use of offensive language and ‘bad’ behaviours before the Courts.

Chief Justice Yeboah was speaking at the enrolment of 424 newly trained lawyers at the Accra International Conference Centre.

Yearly, the General Legal Council (GLC )after its meeting, enrol lawyers who have successfully passed the law professional examination at the Ghana School of Law.

This is in fulfilment of Act 32, 1960, which gives the GLC the mandate to see to the organisation of law professional course.

Justice Yeboah who sworn in the newly qualified lawyers said the ethics of the profession frown on the use of reprehensible language, adding that they should learn to disagree with their opponents without being unpleasant.

" The practice whereby some lawyers also engage media to aerate and argue the case of their clients using abusive language even when cases are subjudice must stop."

The Chief Justice advised that, as newly trained lawyers, they were to take the ethics of the profession more seriously at that stage of their career by developing good habits.

He said the GLC would continue to ensure proper conduct of all lawyers as well as ensure that clients received the required standards of service.

"Frivolous petition against lawyers will not be entertained. Always remember that a lawyer's real success lies in bringing peace to parties and doing which is fair and not taking undue advantage of an innocent client or fueling rancour, where there should be none," the Chief Justice said.

He told the lawyers to maintain a pleasant and professional attitude even when they were frustrated by the actions of their opponents.

Touching on legal education, the Chief Justice who is the Chairman of the GLC, said the Council was working tirelessly to ensure that various facilities feeding students into the Ghana School of Law met the required standards that would make professional training more effective.

"This year the Council has taken steps to publish for the first time the outcome of a joint monitoring exercise with the National Accreditation Board to enable all interested individuals and stakeholders to observe the broader issues confronting legal education in Ghana."

He said the Council would continue to deploy essential teaching methods and provide conducive environment for all students.

"The Council will continue to ensure that professional legal training focuses more on ethics, professional skills and procedural rules so that assessment is rather based on student preparedness for practice," he added.

The Chief Justice said the Council was also developing modules aimed at improving capacities of various institutions running the LLB programme as well as restructure the operations of the Independent Examination Committee to discharge its mandate effectively.

He said the GLC would also see to it that students obtained their LLB degree certificates only from universities approved by the Council.

"All universities running LLB programmes will undergo rigorous screening process before they are approved."

"The legal framework to implement this is underway and the Council will ensure broader stakeholder consultation in this regard, " he added.

Justice Yeboah said universities that satisfied the laid down requirements of the Council would be given further approval to run the Professional Law Course under the supervision of the Council.

Mr Gyan Emmanuel Yeboah, the best all-round student, won the John Mensah Sarbah Memorial prize.

Ms Antionette Ayisah-Eyeson, was adjudged best student in Civil Procedure; Mr Kobby Afari Yeboah, Best Student in Criminal Procedure and Law Practice Management and Legal; Mr Baah Acheampong Moses, Best Student in Law of Evidence; Ms Wedadebam Awiah Matilda, Best Student in Interpretation of deeds and statues, Nana Fyn Michael, Best Student in Alternative Dispute Resolution; and Ms Akua Badu Afriyie, Best Student in Advocacy and Legal Ethics.

Other awardees are; Jeiten Osei-Bonsu, Best Student in conveyancing and practice drafting; Siaw Gyamfi-Henry, Best Student in Company and Commercial Practice; and Ohenewaa Kumah Grace, Best Student in family law and practice.