Ghanaian women lawyers to wear trousers

Kumasi, Sept 28, GNA--The General Legal Council of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has given approval to the wearing of trousers by women lawyers to court on trial basis for six months starting from this legal year.

Mr J. Ebow Quashie, President of the GBA, who announced this in Kumasi however cautioned the women lawyers not to wear "tight dresses which might juggle the sensibilities of members of the bench "

Mr Quashie, who was addressing a four-day annual conference of the bar, commended the Chief Justice, Mr Isaac Abban for his support to the new dispensation which has been debated upon for several years.

The President said the Pupillage Committee has proposed to the Council to withhold the practising certificate of newly enrolled lawyers until they have been certified by an accredited pupil master.

"This is an attempt to stem the trend of decline and to make sure that new lawyers have had proper grounding in the ethics of the profession before being allowed to stand on their own".

Mr Quashie announced that starting from the next legal year, the GBA will present a position paper to the Council to call for certain number of hours of compulsory legal education for practising lawyers on the same level as organised by the America Bar Association (ABA) in order that members would be abreast with the changing trends in the legal profession.

"The GBA recommends similar steps to be taken by the Chief Justice for compulsory number of hours each year for continuing judicial education for judges and magistrates."