Justice Atuguba wades into new Legal Education Bill 2025 debate

A former Supreme Court Justice, William Anaam Atuguba (Rtd), has called for the need for reforms in Ghana’s legal education system, noting that the current structure is outdated and overly academic.

Speaking in an interview on The Law Lab, on the new Legal Education Bill 2025, on April 1, 2026, Justice Atuguba highlighted that the system, rooted in legislation from 1968, was designed for a much smaller population and narrower professional landscape.

“The LLB has been treated as a purely academic course, but law is law. It should be directed at solving societal problems and geared toward practical application,” he said.

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Justice Atuguba recalled that during his time, legal education was limited, with small class sizes and rigorous filtering at the LLB stage.

However, with the proliferation of universities offering law programs, he argued that the system must adapt to accommodate larger numbers while preserving quality.

“The bill rightly seeks to decouple the LLB from purely academic study and integrate practical law from the outset. Law education should prepare students for actual practice, not just theoretical knowledge,” he indicated.

The retired Supreme Court Justice stressed that while increasing the number of lawyers is necessary due to population growth and expanding public and private institutions, quality must remain a priority.

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