Ghana Attorney-General proposes independent lawyer regulatory board

Ghana’s Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has announced plans to introduce legislation to establish the Legal Practitioners Standard Board. The proposed statutory body is intended to operate independently of both the government and the Ghana Bar Association’s existing internal disciplinary structures.

The board would be tasked with three primary functions: setting and maintaining professional conduct standards and continuing competence requirements for lawyers, housing an independent disciplinary committee, and managing professional standards. To ensure diverse oversight, the proposed disciplinary committee would include laypersons, members of the Bar, and representatives from other professions.

According to the announcement, which was delivered by Deputy Attorney-General Dr. Justice Srem-Sai at the Ghana Bar Association Conference, the legislation aims to provide a formal framework for addressing complaints against lawyers. The bill also includes procedural protections for legal practitioners, guaranteeing the right to be informed of allegations, the opportunity to be heard, proportionate sanctions, and the right to appeal decisions in court.