Mr Justice Samuel Obeng-Diawuo, an Appeal Court Judge, has urged lawyers to uphold high ethical standards to help demystify certain negative opinions about the law and lawyers.
He explained that the legal profession existed to promote public welfare and provide justice to all manner of people.
It was therefore important for lawyers to exhibit traits, which would increase the public’s confidence and trust in them.
Justice Obeng-Diawuo was speaking on the “Importance of Legal Ethics” at the induction ceremony for the 2023/2024 academic year law students, at the Kumasi Campus of the Ghana School of Law.
He stated that legal ethics must be taken seriously to avoid pitfalls in the practice of the law, adding that “a lawyer must always exhibit diligence, competence to clients and avoid conflict of interest.
A lawyer must be honest, humble, courteous, and accountable always to the clients and avoid divulging confidential communication, unless with the consent of the clients as required by the law.”
He pointed out that since the legal profession impacts critically on the governance system, if weakened by the corroding influence of unethical lawyers, the act that binds the profession would lose its significance.
“Consequently, adherence to observing legal ethics is one of the pillars on which the rule of law is anchored.
“When ethical principles are upheld by both lawyers and judges it bolsters public confidence, belief and faith,” he stated.
Justice Obeng-Diawuo told the 140 inductees to “be doers of the legal ethics you will be taught and not hearers only and end up like some lawyers who have suffered disciplinary actions due to unethical behaviour.”
Barima Yaw Kodie Oppong, Director Legal Education, Ghana School of Law, advised the students to comply with the rules of ethics and take their studies seriously.
On new projects, the Director gave the assurance that the expansion of the Makola School would not lead to the closure of the Kumasi campus.
That, he said, was because the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, had renewed his commitment to designate a suitable location of land to formally establish a campus in Kumasi, which would be the first regional campus.
“So, with the expansion in Accra, do not shiver, there is no way we will put all our students in Accra, we will still maintain our campus in Kumasi,” he assured.
GNA
KOM/LKA/GRB
15 Jan. 2024
