Hon. Dawda A. Jallow, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice
By Ramatoulie Jawo
The Legal Practitioner Amendment Bill, 2023, progressed through its consideration stage on Tuesday at the National Assembly, marked by significant amendments.
Having already undergone first and second readings, lawmakers deliberated on the bill’s principles and merits before referring it to the National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights and Constitutional Matters for thorough review. Subsequently, the committee reported its findings to the plenary for further discussion and adoption.
During the consideration stage, legislators meticulously examined each of the bill’s 17 clauses, incorporating amendments into the final text.
Hon. Dawda A. Jallow, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, introduced the bill to address issues such as professional misconduct among legal practitioners, legal education, legal aid, and pupillage.
“It is difficult for some members of the society to afford the service of a Legal Practitioner because of their poor financial condition. Again, the society has high hopes for Legal Practitioners to represent them in various capacities and thus the profession needs to be well regulated for effective and careful service delivery,” the Bill reads.
The bill also proposes empowering the Council to establish a Disciplinary Committee panel comprising a High Court Judge, a State Law Officer of no less than the rank of Principal State Counsel, and a legal practitioner with at least ten years of experience, a departure from current practices.
The third reading of the bill is scheduled for July 24, 2024.