Chief Justice urges lawyers not to view legal profession as a fast track to wealth

Chief Justice, Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo, has criticised the rising unethical practices among legal practitioners and urged a return to integrity within the profession.

Speaking at the 2024/2025 Annual General Conference of the Ghana Bar Association, Justice Torkornoo voiced her disappointment at the increasing number of lawyers being reported to the Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Council (GLC) for misconduct.

“I must also, very unhappily, refer to the consistently increasing numbers of lawyers that are referred to the Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Council for unethical practices against their clients,” Justice Torkornoo stated, underscoring the need for a change in professional attitudes.

She called on lawyers to view their profession not merely as a pathway to wealth but as a noble field that demands integrity and commitment.

“There seems to be an untoward notion that the law is the root of becoming rich early. However, as officers and guardians of law, I implore lawyers to appreciate their secret role and reduce the treatment of the law only as an avenue for wealth creation,” she urged.

To counteract this trend, the Chief Justice announced that the General Legal Council is collaborating with the Council of Law Deans to integrate legal ethics into the law school curriculum, a move aimed at fostering a deeper sense of ethical responsibility among future lawyers.

Justice Torkornoo concluded by emphasising the critical role lawyers play as officers and guardians of the law, calling for a renewed commitment to ethical standards within the profession.