The Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Saviour Kudze has disagreed with assertions that the directive by Chief Justice Anin Yeboah to call cases of senior lawyers before their junior colleagues during trials, amounts to injustice in the profession.

He explained that the directive rather breeds opportunities for junior lawyers to learn on the job.

Speaking in a JoyNews interview on Thursday, April 14, 2022, Saviour Kudze called for the Chief Justice to rather be applauded for his decision.

“I don’t see any injustice in this case. I believe should you have a legal problem you would want to have the best service. So if we are encouraging a system where lawyers would learn a lot of practical things to be able to deliver the most or top-notch service, why should anybody be concerned. I think he should rather be applauded,” he stated.

He noted that at the back of the many concerns raised about the fallen standard of legal services in the country, the said directive is part of the measures to address the concerns.

According to him, the Ghana Bar Association would overwhelmingly endorse the Chief Justice’s directive as they find no harm in it.

“For us, any day, anytime, we will endorse this practice because it doesn’t harm anybody in any way. The lawyers and the general public,” he said.

This follows a circular issued by the Chief Justice, Kwasi Anin Yeboah, which directed trial court judges to adhere strictly to the age-long tradition of calling cases of senior lawyers first.

The Chief Justice explained that his office has noted with concern the seeming disregard for the practice.

“The legal profession, as we know, is steeped in traditions and ceremonies. One of the traditions observed is the practice of calling persons whose names are on the roll of lawyers, in order of seniority or enrolment, notwithstanding the notion of equality at the Bar.

“It has recently been drawn to my attention, that some Trial Court Judges are not observing this practice in court.

“Whilst the right to call a case out of turn is not absolute and is exercisable subject to the convenience of the court, for the reasons mentioned above, I would request all Trial Court Judges to strictly adhere to this age-old tradition and resort to inviting applications from Seniors first,” the Chief Justice directed.

This directive has generated diverse reactions with an astute lawyer, Prof. Kwaku Asare calling for the rejection of the directive.

But the GBA is of the view that the directive has no cause for worry since it’s an old-age practice.

“Let us not get it wrong. The practice has always been that senior lawyers’ cases are called before junior lawyers but junior lawyers can always make applications to senior lawyers that they want their cases to be called and they will allow you…that is the ideal situation,” he added.