Mahama Enacts Landmark Legal Education Reform Act

President John Dramani Mahama has signed the Legal Education Reform Bill into law, marking a historic overhaul of professional legal training in Ghana.

The Act ends the 66-year monopoly of the Ghana School of Law as the sole provider of professional legal education. Accredited universities can now offer approved professional law programs, culminating in a National Bar Examination to maintain national standards.

At the signing ceremony, President Mahama highlighted the reform’s goals of expanding access while upholding quality. “This legislation regulates legal education to ensure the highest standards and creates more opportunities for aspiring lawyers across the country,” he said.

The reform addresses long-standing challenges, including limited admission slots at the Ghana School of Law that left many qualified LLB graduates unable to pursue professional qualification. By decentralising training under a strengthened regulatory framework, the new law aims to increase the number of qualified legal practitioners and promote equity in the profession.