AMARFIO vs. GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL

JUDGMENT OF OSEI-HWERE Section 16(1) of the Legal Profession Act, 1960 (Act 32) provides that a lawyer who has been guilty of grave misconduct in a professional respect (including any conduct which, in pursuance of rules made by the General Legal Council under Part III of the Act, is to be treated as grave misconduct in a professional respect), shall be liable either to have his name struck off the roll of lawyers or to be prohibited from practising as a lawyer for a period specified in the order suspending him. Part III of Act 32, of course, relates to discipline. Section 23 of Act 32 also provides that the General Legal Council may prescribe standards of professional etiquette and conduct for lawyers, and may by rules made for that purpose direct that any specified breach of the rules shall for the purposes of Part III of the Act constitute grave misconduct in a professional respect. The disciplinary committee of the General Legal Council derives its authority to receive, investiga...