Speaking at a forum organised for young lawyers in Accra, Justice Adjei said the General Legal Council which was mandated by law to deal with lawyers whose actions might contradict the ethics of the legal profession had placed an eagle eye on its members to ensure that they upheld the tenets of the profession.

He emphasised that  one must have a good moral attitude with no criminal record to qualify to join the bench .

Justice Adjei further told the young lawyers that they could apply to work in various capacities in the Judicial Service but cautioned them not to make money their sole inspiration and focus as lawyers.

He advised the young lawyers to be good apprentices to their senior partners in order to gradually acquire the needed knowledge and skills attached to the legal profession.

Upgrading of skills

The Chief Justice, Justice Georgina Theodora Wood, in her address, advised the young lawyers to seek further knowledge by enrolling in post graduate programmes.

She said her office was committed to enhancing the capacity of members of the judiciary adding that “to show my commitment to this course, we have sent some judges abroad, to undertake some postgraduate courses”.

Young Lawyers’ Forum

The President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Nene Amegatcher, said the forum was organised to create a platform for young lawyers to contribute to the progress of the GBA.

He added that the forum was established as a platform to enable the GBA members to follow best practices and also afford the young lawyers a platform where their  needs would be addressed.

“It is to address these issues bordering on the welfare of young lawyers, which have been impeding their professional growth that led to the proposals to establish the Young Lawyers’ Forum”, he added.

He also added that the Young Lawyers’ Forum would be a platform for dynamic and resourceful lawyers to make a difference.

Pro bono

For his part, the Criminal Justice Advisor to the British High Commission, Mr Roger Coventry, advised the young lawyers to use their legal knowledge to seek justice for the poor and the underprivileged.

He told the young lawyers to make themselves available for pro bono or free service cases, to help the underprivileged, adding that “pro bono will also help you sharpen your skills in law”.

Mr Coventry also advised the young lawyers not to be afraid of committing mistakes and further encouraged them to be confident in their bid to seek justice.