1,568 new lawyers must use law to advance justice — Chief Justice

Chief Justice Paul Baffoe Bonnie has challenged 1,568 newly called lawyers to use their legal training to advance justice and resist the abuse of power.

He cautioned that the significance of the record number of lawyers called to the Bar should be measured by their contribution to society, rather than the size of the profession.

“Do not allow yourself to become merely a number,” he told the new lawyers when speaking at the Call to the Bar ceremony on Friday, October 9.

The Chief Justice said the 1,568 lawyers represented the largest number called to the Bar in a single ceremony, describing the development as a milestone for legal education in Ghana.

He urged the new lawyers to see their profession as an opportunity to promote fairness, defend the vulnerable and help remove barriers created by poverty, ignorance and privilege.

According to him, the country needs lawyers who will not only practise in courtrooms but also serve as advocates for justice and stand against the misuse of power.

“The true success of legal education will therefore not be measured simply by how many lawyers we produce, but by what kind of lawyers we produce,” he said.