Ghana Law Society proposes National Service for fresh lawyers

The newly launched Ghana Law Society (GLS) wants newly qualified lawyers to undertake a 12-month structured national service programme as part of efforts to take legal services to underserved parts of the country.

The proposal, to be implemented in partnership with the National Service Secretariat, would see fresh lawyers posted to district assemblies, Legal Aid offices, CHRAJ offices, the Judicial Service, Lands Commission offices and regional offices of the Attorney-General to provide legal services and support justice delivery.

The President of the GLS, Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwami Dafeamekpor, announced the plan at the Society's maiden Annual Bar Conference at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra yesterday. The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, formally launched the association at the event.

Mr Dafeamekpor, who is also MP for South Dayi and Majority Chief Whip, said the programme was a response to the uneven distribution of lawyers across the country. He said Ghana has fewer than 8,000 lawyers with active practising certificates, more than 72 per cent of whom work in Accra, Kumasi and Tema. More than 190 districts have no law firm, forcing citizens in many areas to travel long distances for basic services such as land searches, tenancy agreements, bail applications and legal representation for juveniles.

"We cannot continue to be a Bar of Accra, by Accra, for Accra. We must be a Bar of Ghana, by Ghana, and for Ghana," he said.

He said the situation called for a rethink of how lawyers are trained, posted and made available to citizens. Beyond national service, the GLS intends to pursue reforms in legal education, mandatory pro bono work, digitisation, specialisation, professional welfare and legal scholarship, to make the profession more responsive to the needs of citizens.

The conference, held on the theme "Legal reforms — the place of the Ghanaian lawyer," brought together members of the legal profession, the Judiciary, Parliament, government and other stakeholders.

Speaker Bagbin said legal reform should be measured by whether citizens have meaningful access to justice, whether cases are decided within a reasonable time and whether legal institutions are keeping pace with technology. He cautioned that passing laws alone does not deliver justice.

"A beautifully crafted Act of Parliament, that cannot be implemented, [is] little more than an elegant promise," he said.

Describing the lawyer as an "architect of the Republic," Mr Bagbin said lawyers have historically contributed to constitutional development, human rights, commerce, public administration, diplomacy and parliamentary work. He urged them to play an active part in the country's ongoing constitutional and institutional reforms.

The Chief of Staff, Dr Julius Debrah, said legal reform was also an economic issue, as businesses need enforceable contracts, farmers need certainty over land ownership and young innovators need clear rules on data, digital assets and artificial intelligence. He cited recent reforms, including the Legal Education Act, 2026, the Community Service Act, 2026, the Tribunal Act, 2026, and the constitutional review process, and called on lawyers to help translate them into practical improvements in people's lives.

The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, urged lawyers to contribute to legislative drafting, reform of state contracts, public financial management, disciplinary reform and access to justice, rather than only commenting on laws after they are passed. He also stressed the need for lawyers' associations to remain independent of political parties and the state.

"The place of the Ghanaian lawyer, in this season of reform, is to be independent enough to be believed and engaged enough to matter," he said.