Samson’s Take: The political lawyer – who is that?

Lawyers are prohibited from instigating litigation, being controlled on how a case should be prosecuted, soliciting or hiring people to find them cases. They are also prohibited from and subject to punishment for professional misconduct if they share their fees with others.

It is difficult therefore to appreciate why a lawyer hired by a group of persons to prosecute the possible removal of a holder of office of an independent constitutional body is accused of doing a political hatchet job for his party.

If you have evidence of violation of the rules of professional conduct, why not produce same before the disciplinary body for investigations for possible sanctions?

The lawyer Maxwell Opoku Agyemang felt compelled to react that the law “had refined me filling me with maturity the temperament and comportment needed for this high risk profession.

Let me say that like that Gospel singer I was nobody but the Law made me somebody. That being the case like Job I take the assets and liabilities of the Law’s blessing.

The fruits of the spirit of the law [are] not vengeance, cronyism and emotional effusions but consummate professionalism to help and act for all manner of persons without fear, favour or ill will. The shepherd of the law should lay down his life for his clients against all odds as that is very pleasing to the master above.”

Yesterday, a good friend of mine, Gary Nimako Marfo, was in court fighting government (the interior minister and head of immigration) over the deportation of a foreigner. An officer of state in the well of the court remarked “but isn’t this lawyer the one who has been representing the NPP and Delta or Invincible forces?”

A judge recently said if you are in public office and have decided to personalise that office, too bad for you. I say if you are in public office and have decided to politicise it, very bad for you.

I represented youth employment staff perceived as NPP and handed a raw deal when the NDC assumed office in 2009. In 2017, I am representing youth employment staff who believe they are perceived as NDC and are being wrongly dealt with. Which party lawyer am I?

The NPP and NDC are not criminal organisations. So it is not a crime to belong to either party. A lawyer who is NPP is not expected to refuse to represent a person or entity only because that person or entity is NDC and vice versa.

In fact, that rather would be unprofessional as it also alters and limits the constitutional right of citizens to lawyers of their choice.

It is said that a truest test of maturity is the ability to disagree with someone while still remaining respectful.

Let’s built Ghana with good conscience, principle and conviction for right following law and due process in the national interest.