Two male candidates denied call to the bar over 'improper' robing

The fate of two male candidates to be enrolled in the Ghana Bar to become lawyers is in limbo as they were on Friday, November 11, denied their call for 'improper' robing.

The two violated the rules of robing applicable to legal practitioners and would-be lawyers which led to their call being withheld and their names not entered into the Roll of lawyers, giving them the title 'Esquire'.

This implies that these two persons, after going through all the struggles at the Ghana School of Law, GSL, are not lawyers.

During the call to the Bar event which was held at the Accra International Conference Center, AICC, the would-be lawyers appear not to have followed the instructions given to them during their orientation session organised by the General Legal Council, GLC.

GhanaWeb source during orientation indicated that applicants were given specific instructions on how all applicants were to be properly dressed following the rules on robing before collecting their certificates and taking their oath before their names being entered in the roll of lawyers.

The two male applicants on the day of their call to the Ghana Bar, were in a queue with their colleagues to collect their certificates when it was noticed that they had violated the rules on robing and thus they were not allowed to complete the process of being called.

One of the candidates did put on a black suit - the required attire - and the other party appeared without a collar on but only had his bib.

The two applicants were not given their certificates for them to be sworn in as lawyers as required per one’s violation of the rules of Robing.

The General Legal Council is the Statutory body obligated by law to uphold the professional standards of lawyers.

The Call to the Bar event, according to a legal news portal, Dennislawnew, is deemed in law to be a formal meeting of the General Legal Council and they set the various formalities of this meeting as captured by Section 7 of the Legal Profession Act, 1960 (Act 32).

PEN