The President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Efua Ghartey, has cautioned newly enrolled lawyers against recording their first appearances in court or engaging videographers to film their entry into courtrooms.
She said the practice violates the professional decorum expected of members of the legal profession and warned that lawyers who disregard the directive could face disciplinary action.
Speaking at an orientation programme for newly enrolled lawyers, Mrs Ghartey acknowledged the excitement surrounding the early stages of a lawyer’s professional journey but stressed that such enthusiasm should not undermine the dignity and sanctity of the courts.
“We’ve seen some people take videos of their fresh legal steps into court. Please, it is not allowed,” she said.
“So please don’t find a videographer to follow you as you enter the courtroom. It is not allowed.”
She further warned that the association would not hesitate to initiate disciplinary proceedings against lawyers who cross the line.
“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.
Mrs Ghartey’s comments come amid the growing use of social media by young professionals to document and share milestones in their careers, including their admission into the legal profession and subsequent courtroom experiences.
Her directive has generated discussions on social media, with some commentators linking the warning to the increasing visibility of newly qualified lawyers who share aspects of their professional journeys online.
Others have questioned the legal basis for the restriction and the extent of the GBA’s authority, particularly in the context of the emergence of the alternative Law Society of Ghana.
However, the GBA President’s central message was that the courtroom must be treated with the decorum befitting its role in the administration of justice, and that personal or social media publicity should not compromise professional standards.
She urged the newly enrolled lawyers to exercise restraint and uphold the ethical expectations of the profession as they begin their legal careers.
