Attorney General and Minister for Justice Dr Dominic Ayine has announced plans for a national professional indemnity insurance scheme, a strengthened Bar Welfare Fund and a stipend framework for pupils and young lawyers.

‎The measures are aimed at improving welfare and professional protection within Ghana’s legal profession, particularly for young lawyers and sole practitioners.

‎The proposals were contained in a speech delivered on Dr Dominic Ayine’s behalf by the Deputy Attorney General, Justice Srem Sai, at the Ghana Bar Association’s annual conference at Ada.

Dr Dominic Ayine said his office will work with the leadership of the Ghana Bar Association to advance the initiatives.

‎“I will use the convening power of my office to support alongside the bar’s own leadership three further initiatives this year. The first one, a national professional indemnity insurance scheme. Negotiated at a scale that no sole practitioner is priced out of the cover every client deserves. A strengthened bar welfare fund with the government prepared to discuss appropriate tax treatment for contributions to it. And third, a modest stipend framework for pupils and young lawyers developed with the bar so that the next generation of lawyers is trained rather than merely exploited and thereby taught to exploit.”

The Attorney General also raised concerns about the conditions faced by young lawyers during pupillage, particularly the prevalence of unpaid and underpaid work.

‎“Without wishing to patronise my young lawyers in this hall, I wish to begin by pointing out the uncomfortable truth about your situation, and that begins with pupillage. In far too many chambers and law firms in this country, pupillage remains a period of unpaid and underpaid labour dressed up in a training opportunity which young lawyers must by all means be grateful for.”

He said the challenges extend beyond pupillage with many young lawyers lacking adequate institutional support and professional protection.

‎“Young lawyers largely practise with little institutional support, no professional indemnity cover with the name, and no structured pathway to the kind of continuing professional development that keeps lawyers skilled, current, and in a fast-changing world.”

‎According to Dr Dominic Ayine, the difficult conditions facing young lawyers can also contribute to unethical practices as some struggle to earn a living.

‎“Because of these uncomfortable situations, young lawyers often find themselves cutting corners, bending the rules of practice in order to make quick money. But this comes at the expense of the chambers they work in and the helpless clients. This is not something that we should be proud of.”

‎The Attorney General added that the proposed welfare measures form part of broader reforms aimed at strengthening the legal profession and ensuring that lawyers receive the support and protection they need throughout their careers.