The Ghanaian legal profession has undergone a dramatic transformation since independence, growing from just 11 lawyers in 1957 to more than 12,000 practitioners today.
President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Mrs Efua Ghartey, disclosed this while delivering her address at the opening of the Association’s 2026/2027 Annual Conference in Ada.
She said the growth of the profession reflects the evolution of Ghana’s legal system over the decades but also places new responsibilities on the Ghana Bar Association to prepare for the future.
According to Mrs Ghartey, lawyers existed in Ghana before 1876, but the Supreme Court Ordinance of that year provided the foundation for the formal education and practice of law.
The Ghana Bar Association, in its current form, was established in 1957, the year Ghana gained independence.
She noted that the Association has since produced several eminent legal practitioners and jurists, including its first two-term president, Robert Samuel Blay, who later served as a Supreme Court judge during the First Republic.
“Although lawyers existed before the year 1876, it was the Supreme Court Ordinance of 1876 that provided the foundation for their formal education and practice,” she said.
Mrs. Ghartey said the profession is now approaching another significant turning point, particularly with the full implementation of the Legal Education Act, 2026 (Act 1170).
She cautioned that the expected increase in the number of lawyers makes it necessary for the profession to place greater emphasis on welfare, ethical standards and integrity.
“We have to prioritise the welfare of our members as a good springboard for launching into the future,” she stated.
The GBA President said the Association must build structures capable of supporting a growing and increasingly diverse legal profession.
She said the Bar’s focus should not be limited to professional excellence but must also include the welfare and development of its members.
Among the measures being pursued are enhanced welfare packages, medical insurance, improved death benefits and initiatives to facilitate access to vehicles and mortgages, particularly for young lawyers.
The Association is also working on the construction of Bar Centres across the regions, with the proposed facilities expected to provide offices, conference rooms, libraries and other resources for members.
Mrs Ghartey said regional Bars that have acquired land for the projects are being encouraged to incorporate income-generating components to help sustain the facilities.
The GBA is also seeking to modernize how lawyers interact and access professional information.
A Near Field Communication (NFC) Card is being introduced as a multipurpose identity and business card for members in good standing.
The card will allow members to securely transmit their professional details when tapped against another phone and will also provide access to a range of discounts and services.
Mrs Ghartey said the Association was equally pursuing reforms within the justice delivery system, including the continued call for the activation of the Court Alert application.
The application is intended to notify lawyers when courts are unable to sit, helping to prevent unnecessary journeys to court.
She said the afternoon court system had also become fully functional during the current legal year, while the GBA’s Court Monitoring Committee was assessing its effectiveness.
The GBA’s 2026/2027 Annual Conference is being held under the theme “150 Years of Ghana’s Legal Evolution: Transforming the Profession and Driving its Future with Industry.”
The theme coincides with the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the Supreme Court under the 1876 Ordinance.
According to her, the history of the legal profession provides an opportunity to examine not only how far Ghana has come but also how the profession should respond to the demands of the future.
She said every contributor to the justice delivery system, from judges and lawyers to judicial staff, has an important role to play.
“We are of equal importance, but we have different but complementary roles to play,” she said.
The GBA President said the Association, which will mark its 70th anniversary in 2027, remains “strong, resilient and poised” to deliver on its mandate.
She also announced that the 10th anniversary of Ghana-UK Law Week would coincide with the GBA’s 70th anniversary next year, with preparations for both celebrations already underway.
