The Attorney General and Minister for Justice has announced the introduction of a new Bill intended to strengthen the legal framework for the discipline of lawyers in Ghana.

In an address read on his behalf by the Deputy Attorney General to open the 2026 Conference of the Ghana Bar Association, the Attorney General, Dr Dominic Ayine, said that the new bill is headed to Cabinet for review and approval before being introduced into Parliament.

To be called the Legal Profession (Practitioners Standards Board) Bill, the Attorney General says this law will transform and strengthen the regulatory framework for the discipline of Lawyers to safeguard the rights of practitioners and also promote public confidence in the profession in Ghana.

According to the Attorney General, the Bill, when it becomes Law, will establish an independent Disciplinary Committee with clear rules of procedure and proposals on proportionate sanctions.

This, in his view, is much more progressive and departs from the existing framework, in which the Disciplinary Committee both investigates and adjudicates complaints.

Additionally, the proposal for clear and strict procedural timelines for resolving grievances will help avert prolonged deliberations that frustrate both clients and Lawyers who are the subject of these complaints.

Second, under the current framework, Superior Court judges sit on the Disciplinary Committee whose decisions, as quasi-judicial decisions, are subject to review and appeal in the same Courts where these Judges Preside.

The Bill seeks to eliminates this conflict of interest by creating a separately constituted board composed of lay non-lawyers and professional representatives with a guaranteed tenure.

The Attorney General also says the Bill importantly targets separating professional discipline from executive, judicial or competitive interference to ensure that disciplinary mechanisms are not weaponised against Lawyers by clients or the Bench or the State

The introduction of this new Law forms part of efforts by the Attorney General to introduce reforms into the legal profession space meant to revolutionise legal practice and training.

It follows the passage of the Legal Education Act, 2026, which is currently in the implementation stage.