Ghana’s legal education reforms will shift training from theory-heavy instruction to practice-oriented learning, with students expected to graduate ready for courtroom advocacy, according to Kenneth Agyemang Attafuah.

Under the Legal Education Act 2026, law students will receive hands-on training through law clinics, internships and supervised court appearances before qualifying for the bar.

“The LLB is no longer going to be purely doctrinal. It will include practical training,” Attafuah said on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Tuesday (9 June).

He added that graduates would be capable of representing clients under supervision immediately after completing their training.

The reform introduces a three-stage pathway: academic training, practical professional training and a national bar examination administered by an independent board.

Attafuah argued that increasing both the number and quality of lawyers would improve governance, reduce disputes and enhance public administration.

“Where well-trained, ethical lawyers are embedded in institutions, the quality of life is better,” he said.

He noted that many of Ghana’s metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies lack legal professionals, limiting their effectiveness.

“All MMDAs need at least five lawyers… most don’t even have one,” he said.

He expressed confidence that strong regulation would prevent the emergence of substandard institutions, a concern raised by critics of the reform.