The President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Efua Ghartey, has warned newly enrolled lawyers against recording their maiden appearances in court or hiring professional videographers to capture their entry into courtrooms, cautioning that such conduct could attract disciplinary sanctions.
Mrs Ghartey stressed that filming lawyers as they make their initial appearances before the courts is not permitted and urged newly qualified practitioners to refrain from engaging individuals to document such occasions within courtroom premises.
Speaking at an event, the GBA President said the association had taken notice of a growing practice among newly enrolled lawyers who record their first professional steps into courtrooms.
She specifically cautioned the young practitioners against arranging for videographers to accompany them into court to capture footage of their appearances, emphasising that the practice contravenes the expected standards of conduct within the judicial environment.
“We’ve seen some people take videos of their fresh legal steps into court. Please, it is not allowed. So please don’t find a videographer to follow you as you enter the courtroom. It is not allowed,” she said.
Although acknowledging the excitement and enthusiasm surrounding the admission of new lawyers into the legal profession, Mrs Ghartey indicated that some practitioners had taken the celebrations beyond acceptable professional boundaries.
She noted that senior members of the legal profession appreciated the enthusiasm demonstrated by newly qualified lawyers but warned that certain actions had crossed the line and could necessitate disciplinary intervention.
“As seniors, we are enjoying what is going on, but some people have crossed the line, and we don’t want to start calling for disciplinary matters,” she added.
Her remarks come amid an emerging trend in which newly enrolled lawyers document their maiden courtroom appearances, with some subsequently publishing the recordings on various social media platforms.
The GBA President consequently urged newly qualified practitioners to uphold the ethical obligations, professional standards and courtroom decorum associated with the legal profession, particularly the regulations governing behaviour and activities within court premises.
