Accra, Ghana – Parliament has passed the Legal Education Reform Bill, 2025, ushering in sweeping changes to how lawyers are trained and admitted to the Bar in Ghana.

If signed into law by President John Dramani Mahama, the legislation will end the long-standing monopoly of the Ghana School of Law and introduce a more open, standardized, and practical system of professional legal education.

Here are 10 key things to know about the Bill:

It Ends the Ghana School of Law Monopoly
For decades, the Ghana School of Law was the only institution authorised to provide professional legal training leading to the Bar. The new law opens the door for other accredited public and private universities to offer such programmes.

A New Regulatory Body is Created
The Bill establishes the Council for Legal Education and Training, which will set standards, approve curricula, and oversee all professional legal education in the country.

Universities Can Now Offer Professional Law Programmes
Accredited universities will be allowed to run their own professional legal training courses, significantly expanding access to legal education.

Introduction of a National Bar Examination
A single, standardised National Bar Examination will replace the current fragmented system. All candidates, regardless of where they trained, will sit the same exam administered by the Council.

Mandatory Law Practice Training Course
Prospective lawyers must complete a structured Law Practice Training Course at an accredited institution before being eligible to sit the National Bar Exam.

Stronger Emphasis on Practical Skills
The new training course shifts focus from largely theoretical learning to clinical legal education and hands-on lawyering skills.

LLB Degree Remains the Entry Requirement
Candidates must still hold a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) or equivalent recognised law degree before gaining admission into the professional training course.

Reforms Aim to Remove Long-Standing Bottlenecks
Attorney-General Dominic Ayine said the changes are designed to eliminate barriers that have prevented even top-performing law graduates from entering professional training.

Government Hails It as a “New Era” of Fairness
Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga described the Bill as the dawn of a new era where all law students — whether from the University of Ghana, UDS, UCC, or private institutions — will be treated fairly and assessed through the same National Bar Examination.

Minority Supports the Bill but Raises Broader Concerns
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin backed the reform as a fulfilled campaign promise but used the occasion to criticise the government over alleged sole-sourcing practices in other areas, including a GH¢11 million contract reportedly awarded to the Deputy Chief of Staff.

The passage of the Legal Education Reform Bill, 2025, is widely viewed as one of the most significant transformations in Ghana’s legal education landscape in decades, aimed at increasing access, improving standards, and producing better-prepared legal professionals for the country’s justice system.

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Friday, March 27, 2026. Stay informed with today’s front pages of Ghanaian newspapers, all in one place.