The General Legal Council (GLC) has refuted reports suggesting that lawyers will be required to write examinations before renewing their licenses. This follows claims that the Chief Justice, Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, had made such a pronouncement during the enrolment ceremony of 196 lawyers called to the Bar on May 5, 2023.
However, in a statement issued on May 8, the GLC clarified that there was no mention of lawyers being required to write examinations before renewing their licenses, and no such amendment to the law was about to be made.
The GLC further explained that the requirement for lawyers to complete continuing professional development before the renewal of a practicing license is a standard requirement in some jurisdictions around the world. This practice is aimed at sharpening the skills of lawyers and keeping them abreast of recent developments in the law for the benefit of the clients they serve.
The GLC called on lawyers and the general public to disregard the reports, stating that they were misrepresented. “The General Public and Lawyers are hereby informed of the misrepresented reportage and the correction thereof accordingly,” the statement said.
This clarification by the GLC will come as a relief to many lawyers who may have been worried about the prospect of having to sit for examinations to renew their licenses. It is also an opportunity for the legal fraternity to focus on continuing professional development as a means of improving the quality of legal services provided to clients.
